There are not many nutrients as revered in society as Vitamin C. Its functions range include helping the immune system function properly, assisting with the production of collagen and neurotransmitters, facilitating absorption of iron, and acting as an antioxidant to prevent cell damage. While many people take Vitamin C in pill form, it is well known that it is better to absorb any nutrients through whole foods rather than isolates. Camu camu berry is perhaps the most concentrated source of Vitamin C in existence, bringing with it a range of other nutrients that help the Vitamin C work as effectively as possible.

I have cycled in and out of using camu camu berry over the years, but I definitely feel the best when I use it several times per day. In the past, it has been all too easy for me to let other more exotic herbs or plant blends take center stage, yet when I use camu camu regularly, I am quickly reminded how valuable Vitamin C really is.

What is Camu Camu?

Camu camu, scientifically known as Myrciaria dubia, is a fruit that grows naturally in the Amazon rainforest. Like many other tropical fruits, it has been growing in popularity due to reports of its health benefits. In addition to Vitamin C, it possesses a wide range of other nutrients, including minerals like potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese, and copper. While it also contains amino acids, the arguably most powerful constituents are the polyphenols, which include flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, lignans, and stilbenes. The synergy between these unique compounds and Vitamin C is likely responsible for much of camu camu berry’s benefits.

Benefits of Camu Camu

1. Antioxidant Content and Anti-inflammatory Effects

Vitamin C is one of the most important and powerful antioxidants we consume, so the fact that camu camu is so rich in this vitamin instantly makes it an antioxidant superstar. It can contain up to 682mg Vitamin C per 5 grams, which comparatively can be 30 to 60 times as much as an orange.

However, the antioxidant content of camu camu goes far beyond just Vitamin C. A review article showed that camu camu exhibited higher total antioxidant capacity than five exotic Brazilian fruits, with high level of quercetin, kaempferol, and ellagic acid contributing to this capacity. Since oxidative stress underlies many common health conditions, it is reasonable to conclude that increasing antioxidant-rich foods may help alleviate or prevent health problems.

The practical superiority of camu camu berry over conventional Vitamin C tablets was elucidated in a 2008 trial that followed male smokers. Over 7 days, half the participants received 70mL of camu camu juice and the other half received tablets containing isolated Vitamin C. Both interventions delivered the same amount of Vitamin C at 1,050mg. The Vitamin C tablet had no effect, but the camu camu berry resulted in lower total reactive oxygen species and reduced inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein, IL-6, and IL-8. Researchers concluded, “Our results suggest that camu-camu juice may have powerful anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, compared to vitamin C tablets containing equivalent vitamin C content.”

Camu camu seeds contain betulinic acid, an anti-inflammatory triterpenoid. This was suspected to be the active compound in camu camu seed extract, which was responsible for exerting anti-inflammatory effects in a mouse model of inflammation.

Cell level studies confirm the antioxidant effects of camu camu. A 2021 study in the journal Molecules conducted by Korean researchers showed that camu camu treatment could reduce glucose-induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species in human skin cells. Researchers stated that camu camu “is a promising material for preventing oxidative stress and skin inflammation induced by high glucose level.” For those who ingest a lot of sugar, it would certainly be reasonable to include camu camu products in the diet as a means of potentially preventing damage.

More evidence for the effectiveness of camu camu antioxidants came from a 2014 study focused on animals with chemical-induced diabetes. Rats in the experiment who received camu camu experienced increased plasma antioxidant activity, lower lipid peroxidation, and reduced cholesterol.

2. Immune Health and Antibacterial Effects

Given the association between Vitamin C and the immune system, it is not surprising that some research exists suggesting that camu camu can improve efficiency of that system. For example, a study with Nile tilapia fish showed that camu camu could exert immune-boosting effects in that population. The fish supplemented with various concentrations of camu camu showed increased levels of white blood cells and higher activity among them, as well as greater bactericidal activity in serum. Four doses were used — 50, 100, 250, and 500mg/kg, with the highest dose causing the greatest efficacy.

A 2017 study found that two specific compounds in camu camu known as acylphloroglucinol and rhodomyrtone had effective antimicrobial properties, on par with or even stronger than the conventional antibiotic kanamycin.

Camu camu may also one day be included in oral health products due to its ability to reduce growth of oral microorganisms.

3. Pain Relief

While Vitamin C and associated nutrients are usually associated with immune health, they may even have an impact on pain. A 2021 study in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that giving camu camu juice to animals produced analgesic effects in several types of experiments. There was also a reduction in edema seen in the animals.

A review article by New Zealand researchers noted that many studies show that Vitamin C administration reduces pain in patients, including those with cancer and chronic regional pain syndrome. This may be because Vitamin C helps the body produce endogenous opioids, which go on to help suppress pain by binding with opioid receptors. More research is needed to see whether camu camu berry can work as well as isolated Vitamin C in humans.

4. Gut Health

The importance of gut health has been getting more mainstream attention, as it can impact a wide variety of disease processes throughout the entire body. A 2019 study in the aptly named journal Gut provided evidence that camu camu can play an important role in positively modulating the gut microbiota. Researchers found that administering camu camu to mice on a high-fat/high-sugar diet prevented weight gain and reduced metabolic inflammation. The mice also had better glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, along with increased energy expenditure. The effects were posited to result from changes in the gut microbiota, as transplanting the microbiota from camu camu mice into untreated mice endowed them with the same resistance to weight gain.

There is reason to believe camu camu may have some impact in humans, as one study in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that antioxidant vitamins like Vitamin C were correlated with gut microbiota variations in cystic fibrosis patients. Furthermore, a review article on this subject stated, “preclinical and clinical data suggest that dietary polyphenols present prebiotic properties and exert antimicrobial activities against pathogenic [bacteria], having benefits in distinct disorders.” Given that camu camu also has antibacterial properties, as discussed above, it is likely that some of the changes observed in microbiotas is a result of the fruit killing bad bacteria.

Other Health Applications

There are some other interesting applications for camu camu indicated by research studies. For example, a preclinical study in 2020 showed that camu camu seed extract effectively attacked malaria and schistosoma parasites. Given the continued problems that parasitic infections present for humanity, having camu camu as a treatment option would be excellent, but more research is needed to test efficacy in people.

Antioxidant effects of camu camu may extend to quite fascinating circumstances. A particularly interesting study in the journal Bioelectromagnetics found that camu camu flour could counter the damage to mouse sperm induced by “extremely low frequency magnetic fields.” It is entirely unknown if camu camu could protect human sperm from the damage of these magnetic fields, but if so, that would be pretty wild.

Camu camu may also be a good agent for protecting liver health. A 2010 study by researchers at Gifu University in Japan found that camu camu juice suppressed chemical-induced liver injury in rats. The active compound was posited to be 1-methylmalate.

How I Consume Camu Camu Berry

The preclinical and clinical evidence clearly demonstrates that camu camu can exert significant health effects. It is worth considering as a source of Vitamin C over isolate pills because the other compounds in camu camu help the natural Vitamin C work better.

As a water-soluble nutrient, Vitamin C must be replenished continuously, so it is best to take multiple doses rather than one large dose. I often fill a water bottle with camu camu berry (usually 1–2 teaspoons), a mushroom blend, and MSM (a dietary form of sulfur available in crystal powder form), which I drink throughout the day. There are reports that MSM and Vitamin C work together to produce more potent effects, so I combine them to try and achieve this. Even without anything else though, it is clear that camu camu is a useful and powerful food.