Cat's Claw
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Cat’s Claw Benefits: Immune Support, Inflammation Relief & Beyond

| Modified on Jan 19, 2026
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Cats Claw

Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is a woody vine native to the Amazon rainforest, used for centuries in traditional medicine to treat infections, inflammation, and digestive issues.

Now popular among natural health communities, including Earth Clinic readers, Cat’s Claw is known for its unique ability to modulate the immune system, repair gut tissue, and protect cells from damage.

Top Health Benefits of Cat’s Claw

  • Immune System Modulation: Cat’s Claw helps balance the immune system, making it useful for chronic infections, autoimmune disorders, and seasonal colds.
  • Anti-Inflammatory Action: It reduces inflammation naturally and may ease symptoms of arthritis, joint pain, and gut inflammation.
  • Antiviral Properties: Research suggests it may inhibit viruses like herpes, Epstein-Barr, HIV, and coronaviruses.
  • Gut Healing Support: Helps repair the intestinal lining and calm conditions like leaky gut, SIBO, and IBD.
  • DNA and Cell Protection: Contains antioxidants that support DNA repair and cellular longevity.
  • Detox and Liver Support: Supports lymphatic drainage and liver function, especially after illness or toxin exposure.
  • Lyme and Chronic Fatigue: Used in many natural protocols for Lyme disease, mold illness, and post-viral fatigue.
  • Brain and Nerve Support: May reduce brain inflammation and support cognitive clarity.
  • Heart Health: Some studies show it may help reduce blood pressure, improve circulation, and support vascular function.

How to Use Cat’s Claw

Cat’s Claw comes in multiple forms. Choose the one that best fits your lifestyle:

  • Capsules: Standardized and easy to dose.
  • Tinctures: Alcohol-based drops absorbed quickly.
  • Tea or Decoction: Made from bark; nourishing and gentle.

Suggested dose: Start with 250–500 mg of capsules or 10–30 drops of tincture, once or twice daily. Start low and go slow to avoid detox reactions.

Precautions

  • Not for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
  • Avoid if you take immunosuppressants or have had an organ transplant.
  • May lower blood pressure or thin the blood. Use with caution if on related medications.
  • Some people experience nausea, dizziness, or fatigue—especially when detoxing. Lower your dose if this happens.

Earth Clinic Reader Tips

Many readers report success when combining Cat’s Claw with:

  • Pau d’Arco: For stronger antifungal and immune support
  • Oregano oil: For acute bacterial or viral infections
  • Turmeric and magnesium: To ease inflammation and muscle tension
  • Bentonite clay or activated charcoal: To reduce detox symptoms like headaches or skin flare-ups

Final Thoughts

Cat’s Claw is a versatile herbal remedy with wide-reaching benefits for immunity, inflammation, gut health, and chronic fatigue. Whether you’re recovering from an illness or simply strengthening your foundation, this rainforest vine may be a powerful ally.

Have you used Cat’s Claw? Share your experience! Your story could help someone else heal naturally.

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Cat’s Claw Feedback

5 star (1) 
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Posted by Natasha (Florida) on 07/26/2025
 ★★★★★

I am a firm believer that most skin problems are an external manifestation of internal problems. Sure, you can use topical remedies, but if the problem is not cured, that means it is not just a skin condition- your body is not in a homeostasis, whatever the problem is. Many skin conditions disappear on its own once the root cause is addressed. Now I want to ask people who used Cat's Claw for a variety health problems. The problem you were using it for. The dose, the length and the results. I have cardiovascular, neurological, POTS, mast cells activation, (self diagnosed), vertigo, balance and now skin rashes that I BELIEVED have a VIRAL origin. It is not Lyme, I was tested many times, but sort of like chronic Lyme disease. Rashes are sort of like shingles, but they are not shingles, but some sort of viral rash that comes in clusters on side of a torso, an outer thigh etc. T

his time after one cluster fades (after taking/applying antiviral essentially oils, l-lysine, zinc, vitamins.C, homeopathy) in a few days another cluster appears. My cardiovascular and vestibular functions are of a person with chronic heart failure. My blood pressure, at times, lasting for days or a weeks, is extremely low 75-49. My dizziness, balance, equilibrium vertigo are unbearable. It was incidentally found that I have a chronic moderate isolated sphenoid sinusitis which COULD BE VERY WELL a major part of the problem. Unfortunately to get to that sphenoid cavity is nearly impossible and treating it without knowing what is it (a lesion, a fungus, an infection?) doesn't make sense. Yet, every source of medical information says that it must be addressed immediately for it is very serious. But, in real life, ENTs hardly ever treated a spend sinusitis or took a biopsy-it is a a high risk procedure. I am also Paraneoplastic Syndrome positive- P/Q type. I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING THERE IS TO TRY. I am extremely sensitive to many supplements and medicine. Vitamin A for example causes mental agitation/altered status. Prednisone nearly killed me and Metoporol had a Paradoxical Effect (opposite of what is expected), LDN turns me into a zombie. You've got the picture. What a have not tried yet is an antiviral treatment. I am not talking about pharmaceuticals, but herbal medicine.

So please if you tried Cat's Claw, share your experience! Please no links or general information, just your personal experience. Thank you.

P.S. I used to live is a semi-tropical environment where I might have gotten some sort of virus, infection, a parasite etc. which is difficult to diagnose. I got sick while living over there. Nothing specific, but extreme tiredness, that is how it started, plus a weird vertigo one morning (maybe not even a vertigo, I was falling to one side upon awaking).

Replied by Theresa
(Florida)
01/16/2026

Hi, I had almost identical issues after being treated with poisonous Remdesivire and strange plasma after covid.

I used ivermectin perodically, use tumeric and ginger, build up Vitamin D deficiencies(it goes too low after when you have covid and B12 .

I used catsclaw for inflamation.... read the Medical Medium Anthony Williams, he explains Epstien Barr is the reason for all auto immune and all illness. It never leaves the body, and I either caught a new strain or a reacctivation of my old mono.

His book says to eliminate what the vurus was fed, mine was eggs, dairy, atleast so I stopped it and my rash hasnt come back full force like it did, it covered upper torso and looked like shingles but not.

Read info from Frontline drs or Anthony Williams, his is all natural with food or herbs. God Bless you in your healing.

Lymphatic Drainage

4 star (1) 
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Posted by HisJewel (New York) on 01/19/2026
 ★★★★☆

Cat's Claw for Lymphatic Drainage

Greetings to EC and Everyone,

A few weeks ago, I decided to try Cat's Claw, I had read that it increases circulation. I have tried serval things many has helped, I recently started the leg scrubs, and enlisted green tea again, however that right leg was still swollen and sometimes more than other times. Green tea is an excellent diuretic; however, it worked even better when I began to take the Cat's Claw. About the second week on Cat's Claw my leg decreased in size, and my compassion socks were able to fit all the way up to my knees, the skin on my leg is much smoother now.

Life Extension has great info. about Cat's Claw.

https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2007/3/nu_catsclaw

I looked them up to see what information they had.

I do want to confirm that Cat's Claw is one of the supplements you start low on. I did experience a few side effects, I had a headache for about a week, so I added activated charcoal as EC suggested. I also had to lower dosage that the Now Brand recommended, and I skip weekends, because I began bleed like a monthly. I'm 74 so no way. May be that another polyp or cyst broke down. The bleeding lasted a few days and stopped when I lowered the dose.

One 500mg capsule was more than enough for me, my legs look and feel better. Also, you may want to wait and take this one when you get back in the house if you will be outside a long time. Once the diuretic effect kicks in it is a lot of water flow.

HisJewel



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