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Limited evidenceLongevity & antioxidants

Camu Camu

An Amazonian berry with extraordinary vitamin C density, and unusually for this category, two small but real randomized trials — one showing a 15.9% between-group reduction in liver fat, another showing it outperforms an equal dose of vitamin C on oxidative and inflammatory markers. Small studies, but genuine signal.

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What the science says

  • Reduces liver fat Limited evidence

    A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial gave 30 adults with overweight and hypertriglyceridemia 1.5 g of camu camu capsules or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Liver fat fell 7.43% on camu camu and rose 8.42% on placebo — a 15.85% between-group difference — alongside reductions in plasma ALT and AST and shifts in gut microbiota composition. One 30-person crossover is not a treatment recommendation, but it is a properly controlled trial with an objective imaging endpoint, which puts camu camu ahead of most 'superfruits.'

  • Lowers oxidative stress and inflammation more than vitamin C alone Limited evidence

    Twenty male smokers were randomized to 70 mL of camu camu juice (1050 mg vitamin C) or 1050 mg vitamin C tablets daily for 7 days. Urinary 8-OHdG, total reactive oxygen species, hs-CRP, IL-6, and IL-8 all fell significantly in the juice group with no change in the tablet group. The dose-matched comparator makes this a genuinely informative design, implying the polyphenols matter, but n = 20 over 7 days in one population is a preliminary finding.

  • Is an exceptional vitamin C source Moderate evidence

    Fresh camu camu pulp contains roughly 2 g of vitamin C per 100 g, among the highest recorded in any fruit — orders of magnitude above citrus. The practical caveat is that ascorbate is heat- and oxygen-labile, so spray-dried commercial powders vary enormously and many deliver far less than the raw fruit implies. If the vitamin C content is what you want, a labeled and tested ascorbic acid content matters more than the fruit's reputation.

Dosage & safety

Studied doseThe liver-fat trial used 1.5 g of camu camu capsules daily for 12 weeks; the antioxidant trial used 70 mL of 100% juice daily, delivering 1050 mg of vitamin C, for 7 days. Typical powders are dosed at 1-3 g daily. Nothing in the evidence supports megadosing, and the polyphenol/prebiotic mechanism suggested by the microbiota data does not scale with vitamin C content.
SafetyBoth trials reported good tolerability. The main practical issue is dose-dependent GI upset — osmotic diarrhea, cramping, and nausea — from the vitamin C load at multi-gram intakes, the same ceiling that applies to ascorbic acid generally. High chronic vitamin C intake raises urinary oxalate and is a consideration for anyone with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones, and can interfere with some point-of-care glucose meters and fecal occult blood tests. Camu camu is acidic and can aggravate reflux. No data in pregnancy at supplemental doses, and no long-term studies beyond 12 weeks.

How to take it

TimingTiming does not matter.
With food?With food — the acidity can aggravate reflux on an empty stomach.
Worth knowingHigh vitamin C intake raises urinary oxalate and can skew point-of-care glucose meters and faecal occult blood tests, so mention it before those tests.

Interactions

With other supplements

  • iron supplements

    The vitamin C load markedly increases non-heme iron absorption — useful if you are correcting a deficiency, a problem in iron overload. take together deliberately for iron deficiency, and avoid the pairing in haemochromatosis

Well-established interactions only — this is not a complete list. Always tell your doctor and pharmacist what you take.

Frequently asked questions

What is camu camu good for?

Camu camu is an Amazonian berry with exceptional vitamin C density, roughly 2 g per 100 g of fresh pulp (moderate evidence). Two small randomised trials also suggest benefits for liver fat and oxidative stress, but the evidence for those is limited.

Does camu camu reduce liver fat?

In one placebo-controlled crossover trial of 30 adults with overweight and high triglycerides, 1.5 g of camu camu daily for 12 weeks reduced liver fat by about 15.85% relative to placebo (limited evidence). It is a properly controlled trial with an imaging endpoint, but a single small study is not a treatment recommendation.

Is camu camu better than a vitamin C tablet?

In a 7-day trial in 20 male smokers, camu camu juice lowered oxidative and inflammatory markers while an equal 1050 mg dose of vitamin C tablets did not, suggesting its polyphenols matter (limited evidence). This is a preliminary finding, and powdered camu camu products vary widely in how much vitamin C they actually contain.

Does camu camu have side effects?

At multi-gram intakes the vitamin C in camu camu can cause diarrhoea, cramping and nausea, and its acidity can aggravate reflux, so take it with food. High chronic vitamin C intake raises urinary oxalate, a concern if you have had calcium oxalate kidney stones.

Scientific references

Where to buy

California Gold Nutrition, Superfoods, Organic Camu Camu Powder, 4 oz (114 g)

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