Updated 6/6/24. Carnivora is a health supplement derived from the carnivorous Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) that you may have seen advertised online or heard of during radio commercials (such as Coast to Coast AM with George Noory). Carnivora is said to help the immune system function better, or in the words of one YouTube video I saw, “wakes up the immune system and makes it dominant.” Does Carnivora work?” is the question everybody asks me. I've been curious about this product since I first heard the Coast to Coast AM radio commercial, so in this Carnivora review, I will share what I found when I looked at the research. Let's see what we can discover.
Who Makes Carnivora?
The company is called Carnivora Research International its website is Carnivora.com. The Contact Us page of the Carnivora.com website actually lists the emails of a variety of people within the Carnivora organization ―even the owner/CEO of the company, Richard Ostrow.
That level of transparency is rare in the supplement world, and I actually appreciated seeing this. There is no official address for the Carnivora company. There is, however a PO Box address:
- PO Box 1035 Weston CT 06883-0035
This is the same address listed on the BBB file for Carnivora also.
To contact Carnivora call 866 836 8735.
I was curious where Carnivora was made. I was unable to find this answer.
Carnivora Research International is a Better Business Bureau accredited company since 2009. It had a rating of “A+” when this review was updated. The company has been in business since 1981. See the BBB file updates and more 
Carnivora Research
On the Science of Carnivora page of the product website, there are links to many studies that serve as a testament to the benefits of Carnivora. Most of the links were clickable and linked directly to published peer-reviewed studies. I liked that. I looked at all of the studies listed on the Science of Carnivora page and, after which came to these conclusions:
1. The word “Carnivora” does not appear in most of the studies listed
2. Most of the studies listed are test-tube or mouse studies
This means most of the research is not on the supplement
Many of the studies make references to compounds ―such as something called Plumbagin ―but studies of individual/isolated ingredients (in test tubes or lab animals) are not the same thing as human studies on Carnivora itself.
After looking at the evidence presented on the product website, my question is:
American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society states that in 1985, a German oncologist named Helmut Keller who invented Carnivora in the 1970s (and who holds the patent on it) did a study involving 210 people with various types of cancer. Dr. Keller noted that 56% of people treated with the Carnivora extract experienced either remission or stabilization of their tumors. That's really impressive, but the ACS said the study has not been replicated.
I was not able to locate this study.
Why didn't Dr. Keller replicate his findings?
To be fair, it is disappointing that the American Cancer Society themselves did not attempt to replicate this study. The ACS did say the study was published, so I assume they have read it.
If anyone can show me the published study of Dr. Keller and Carnivora, I'll be happy to update this review.
A study published in 2013 reviews various compounds in Venus flytrap as they relate to cancer. This study covers several mouse and tube research investigations on Venus flytrap compounds. It does not mention human studies. The study does not mention Carnivora by name.
Other Carnivora Research
After writing my review, I was contacted by an information specialist at Carnivora, the conversation of which you can read in the comments below. The person informed me that there was additional research on Carnivora performed in Europe 25 years ago. I was told this research was prohibited in the US. I was also told that to read that information, I would have to provide an email address that was not based in either the US or Canada.
It was an odd request. However, I was intrigued by the possibility that additional research existed, so I complied and received the information a few days later. Below is a summary of the documents I received, along with my thoughts on that information.
1. President Regan and Carnivora. I was sent what appears to be, a small page out of a book, that discusses President Regan's use of Carnivora to treat polyps. If this is a book excerpt, there is no citation as to what that book is. In the January 2011 issue of Dr. Rowen's Second Opinion Newsletter (see below for more info), Dr. Rowen says that President Regan “used Carnivora with success to keep malignant polyps from returning in 1985.”
But, according to the website DrZebra.com, President Regan had his polyps surgically removed in 1987. If they were successfully treated by Carnivora in 1985, why did he have surgery to remove the polyps in 1987? Regardless of who is right on this issue, this book excerpt is not a published peer-reviewed study.
2. German Cancer Therapies: Natural and Conventional Medicines that Offer Hope and Healing. This is a book by Dr. Morton Walker, a freelance writer and retired podiatrist, and was published in 2003. I mentioned Dr. Walker in the section about Carnivora and HIV, so see that section also. Chapters 3, 4 
and 5 of that book discusses Carnivora. That said, book chapters sent to me did not contain any peer-reviewed studies to substantiate the claims made in these chapters. As such, we can't tell anything about them.
Remember, I had to provide a non-USA-based email address to receive all of the information discussed in this section. I don’t see why I had to do this because this book is available on Amazon.
3. Comments of Dr. Daniel Kinner, OMD, L.Ac. On His Personal Clinical Experience Using Carnivora, Venus Flytrap Extract. This appears to be a letter dated March 8, 2000, from Dr. Kinner to Carnivora Research International. According to his website, DanKennerresearch.com, Dr. Kinner holds a Ph.D. in Naturopathic Medical Science and is an Oriental Medical Doctor (OMD). He is also a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac).
In the letter, Dr. Kinner speaks of the experiences of his patients who used Carnivora. All the experiences were positive. But, since this is just a letter, it is not a published peer-reviewed study and amounts to just a testimonial, in my view.
4. The Townsend Letter for Doctors. This appears to be an alternative medicine newsletter (published in the US) and the issue that was sent to me is dated May 1992. I am not sure who wrote this article. There is a reference circled in the document, which I imagine is proof of what is stated in the newsletter. The reference circled is titled:
Kreher B, “Structure elucidation of plumbagin-analagues from Dionaca Muscipula and their immunomodulating activities in vitro and in vivo. International Symposium: Molecular Recognition, Sopron, Hungry, August 24-27, 1988.”
From the title, it appears this citation represents a study that was presented at a science convention. While presenting information is good in that it helps disseminate information to the scientific community, it does not mean that the information has gone through the peer-review process.
Regardless, this is not a human study. I was not sent any peer-reviewed studies of this information either, so it appears that this investigation was never peer-reviewed. Why was this information never published in a medical journal?
5. Dr. Robert Rowen's Second Opinion Newsletter, dated August 2004. This is just a newsletter where a doctor discusses what he knows and has observed about Carnivora. It also mentions Dr. Kenner (see point #3). Unfortunately, there are no peer-reviewed references in the attached newsletter either.
6. Dr. Robert Rowen's Second Opinion Newsletter, dated July 2009. In this issue of the newsletter, Carnivora is also discussed but it doesn’t say anything new. It just appears to be a rehash of Ronald Reagan and other people who said they were helped by Carnivora.
7. Dr. Robert Rowen's Second Opinion Newsletter. This newsletter is dated January 2011. Again, this is just a newsletter.
8. Molecular Recognition: Carnivora a New Discovery. This document is dated 1988. In the email I received, I was told that this is a clinical study. But, there is no author and no citation about where this is published. I don’t know if “Molecular Recognition” is the title of a journal or a chapter in a book or a private, internal document. This does not look like any published peer-reviewed study I've ever seen.
9. Comparison of lymphocytes subpopulation in various cancer therapies. This document is said to be a European clinical study, however it is not peer-reviewed and does not appear to be published in any medical journal. While it has a couple of graphs, the document appears for the part, to be a letter dated February 13, 1995, written by someone (who, I don’t know) to Dr. Helmut Keller.
There were other documents sent to me also that were said to be “European studies” however they don’t appear to be published in any medical journal.
Unfortunately, none of the documents sent to me are to the level that I would accept as “proof”, which is published, peer-reviewed research.
Carnivora and Dr. C. Joe Schneller
One YouTube video about Carnivora features Dr. C. Joe Schneller who said he is doing a study of how 3 capsules a day of Carnivora “wakes up the immune system and makes it dominant.”
The video was uploaded on June 16, 2011, but it appears to not yet be completed or published, as it is not listed on the Carnivora website or listed in the National Library of Medicine. Likewise, when I did a Google search for:
“Dr. Schneller Carnivora study,”
No study was revealed. I will update this review with his study and its results if it gets published.
Let's next look at some of the major reasons people might be interested in Carnivora and attempt to find clinical studies for those uses. That way, those interested in specific issues can get an idea of whether Carnivora might be right for them.
Carnivora and The Immune System
Carnivora is primarily marketed as something that can improve/modulate the immune system. Ironically, when I searched the National Library of Medicine for “Carnivora” no relevant studies showed up. So, I searched the National Library of Medicine for these specific words to see if there were any research:
- Venus flytrap immune
- Venus flytrap immunity
- Venus flytrap immune system
- Venus flytrap phagocytosis (refers to how some immune cells work)
- Venus flytrap antibody
- Venus flytrap B cell (B cells are a type of immune cell)
- Venus flytrap T cell (T cells are a type of immune cell)
- Dionaea Muscipula immune
- Dionaea Muscipula immune system
- Dionaea Muscipula immunity
- Dionaea Muscipula phagocytosis
- Dionaea Muscipula antibody
- Dionaea Muscipula B cell
- Dionaea Muscipula T cell
No studies showed up for any of these search terms.
This may mean Venus flytrap/ Dionaea Muscipula might not have been specifically studied for its effects on how it improves the immune system.
So why is it being marketed to boost immunity?
One of the compounds in the Venus flytrap is called Plumbagin. Some websites even claim that Plumbagin is the active ingredient in Carnivora.
Plumbagin does have some research. For example, Plumbagin has been studied for its possible anti-cancer effects. When I searched the National Library of Medicine for:
“Plumbagin immune” (click the link to see the studies) I saw a lot of studies, but most of them were conducted in test tubes or used lab mice.
What I didn't see was a study showing that Plumbagin (oral or injected) prevented the flu or improved arthritis symptoms ―or improved any other immune system-related condition ―in humans.
Carnivora and AIDS
Since Carnivora is touted to improve the immune system, a logical question would be Does it help HIV/AIDS? On one website that discusses this topic, a 1994 magazine article titled, The Carnivora Cure for Cancer, AIDS and Other Pathologies” published in Immune Perspectives, is mentioned. In this article, it's said that Carnivora caused the ” total elimination of the HIV virus.”
I tried to locate this article but I could not find it.
Additionally, I was not able to find a peer-reviewed journal called “Immune Perspectives” either. In fact, I could not find ANY magazine called “Immune Perspectives.”
The author of this article was Dr. Morton Walker, whose website is DrMortonWalker.com. I believe this is the doctor associated with the Immune Perspectives article. However, when I searched his site for the article it does not appear there either.
I then searched the National Library of Medicine for these words:
- Venus flytrap AIDS
- Venus flytrap HIV
- Dionaea Muscipula AIDS
- Dionaea Muscipula HIV
This search revealed no studies either.
I did locate a 2002 study titled Inhibitory effects of quinones on RNase H activity associated with HIV-1 reverse transcriptase that noted that Plumbagin (one of the compounds in Venus flytrap, as well as other plants) inhibited an enzyme that is needed for HIV to replicate. While this is interesting, the study was over a decade ago and was basically just a test-tube study.
Because of the lack of published research on this topic, I am unfortunately forced to conclude for the moment that there is no good proof that Carnivora or Venus flytrap extracts improve immune function in those with HIV/AIDS.
Some say black seeds can cure HIV. Here is a video I created about that research
Carnivora and Cancer
Can this supplement help people with cancer? I searched the National Library of Medicine for “Carnivora Cancer” but didn’t see any studies that specifically investigated Carnivora―itself― for how it might help cancer.
This is ironic because many websites relate the story of how former President Ronald Reagan used Carnivora to prevent cancer. Mr. Reagan still had part of his colon removed because of colon cancer. So, if he did use Carnivora, how significant of an effect did it have on his cancer?
Regardless, some of the compounds (such as Plumbagin) in Venus flytrap have been studied for how they might affect cell growth. But, in these studies, Plumbagin is used as an isolated compound (which is different than Carnivora which contains a variety of compounds). Also, most research on Plumbagin appears to be in the form of test-tube/Petri dish studies or lab animal studies.
I'm not aware of any studies in humans showing that Plumbagin cures cancer or slows cancer growth.
Also, how much Plumbagin is in Carnivora? I don’t know, but either way, it's irrelevant at this point because of the lack of published studies on humans.
For a more in-depth discussion, see this 2013 review titled Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula Solander ex Ellis) Contains Powerful Compounds that Prevent and Cure Cancer. When I read this study, I noticed that it never mentions the name Carnivora or the name of Dr. Helmut Keller, the creator of Carnivora.
Carnivora and Arthritis
I did a Google search for “Carnivora and arthritis” and noticed that some websites mention that Carnivora has been used in Germany as a treatment for arthritis. But, when I looked at the various websites that discuss this issue, none that I saw included any studies to substantiate that Carnivora helps arthritis. They show no proof.
Likewise, I could not find any evidence when I searched the National Library of Medicine either. Maybe it helps or maybe it doesn’t but until studies are published, I believe the idea of Carnivora helping arthritis is open to speculation.
What About GI Issues?
Proof that the supplement improves digestion or helps people with intestinal problems could not be located.
Carnivora and Lupus
I searched the National Library of Medicine for these words:
- Carnivora lupus
- Dionaea Muscipula lupus
- Venus flytrap lupus
- Plumbagin lupus
No studies showed up. Unfortunately, it appears that there is no good proof, as yet, to determine if Carnivora helps lupus.
Carnivora and Fibromyalgia
Some websites discuss Carnivora as a possible treatment for fibromyalgia pain, but those sites provide no good proof of this. Likewise, when clinical databases were searched, no proof could be located.
Carnivora and Lyme Disease
Various websites discuss that the supplement might help Lyme disease but when proof of this cant' be located. Until that research is conducted, it's impossible to say if it helps or doesn’t.
Carnivora and Alzheimer's
Is there any proof this supplement helps dementia? Evidence cannot be located. I can't find any good proof that the Carnivora improves memory or helps people with dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
Carnivora and Cats
Some clinical evidence suggests Carnivora can help cats with Feline Herpes Virus 1 (FHV-1), a viral infection that can cause respiratory problems in cats. Researchers in 2016 published titled Effects of Administration of Carnivora on Clinical Signs in Cats After Repeat Challenge with Feline Herpesvirus 1 (click to read pdf).
This investigation appeared to show cats treated with Carnivora had fewer upper respiratory symptoms than cats treated with a placebo. Here is a summary of the study and the results:
Study Summary
- The study involved 16 young adult cats (2 years of age).
- All the cats had FHV-1 for one year before the study.
- The cats were randomly split into a group that took Carnivora for or a placebo for 56 days.
- After treatment, all cats were exposed to the FHV-1 virus.
Study Results
- Cats treated with Carnivora were observed to have fewer upper respiratory tract symptoms than the cats that received the placebo.
Interestingly, the researchers also noted that “no clinically significant differences when comparing serum biochemical values from the Carnivora treated cats before and after treatment.” If I understand this correctly, it seems even though Carnivora appeared to reduce FHV-1 symptoms, it did not kill the virus.
The study does not specifically mention any effect on the immune system cells. That is unfortunate, given the immune-modulating reputation of Carnivora.
The authors state the study was supported by the makers of Carnivora, but that the company did not take any part in the study. That is good. I'm glad they are sponsoring research.
Does It Detox Your Body?
Some websites advocate Carnivora as part of a detox or “cleanse” to rid the body of harmful parasites and waste. These websites, however, give no good proof the supplement does this.
If Carnivora did boost the immune system, then I could understand how an enhanced immune system might be better at killing off bacteria/viruses. But, we will need clinical studies on this topic to know for sure.
Carnivora Side Effects
In healthy people, I believe Carnivora is safe. The Carnivora.com website states “There are no known contraindications using Carnivora with any prescription drugs (or other dietary supplements).” This doesn't mean there aren't any side effects. It just means the company isn't aware of any.
While it probably is safe, here is a list of things to consider when taking this supplement. This list is not complete.
- Speak to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. The company also mentions this and specifically says the supplement “is contraindicated for mid to late-term pregnancy.”
- Stop taking at least 2 weeks before having surgery. This is sage advice for all supplements too.
- Start with less than recommended for the first week to see how you respond.
- If you take blood thinner drugs, speak to your doctor/pharmacist. The product website also mentions this although they seem to not like blood thinners at all, calling them “toxic.” I'm not sure I'd go that far. The website also states blood may become too thin if taking combining blood thinner meds with high doses (20+ per administration) of Pure Extract drops.
Doctors in 2014, reported the case of a 30-year-old man with Hodgkin’s lymphoma (a type of cancer) who developed kidney failure after using the supplement for about a year. This seems to be the first case of this ever reported.
The supplement website used to discuss the possibility of a Herxheimer reaction occurring if people use too much too soon. The herxheimer reaction refers to a temporary increase in adverse symptoms. This is said to be the result of the Venus flytrap extract killing the infection. The condition was originally attributed to the treatment of syphilis with antibiotics, but it might occur with other conditions as well.
Amazon Reviews
Looking at Amazon reviews, the supplement had a rating of 4.3 out of 5-star rating with over 1500 ratings. Over 60% gave it a 5-star rating and 14% gave the
supplement a 4 star rating. Most reviews are those who made verified purchases.
How Much Extract Per Capsule?
Each bottle contains 100 capsules. Each capsule has 125 mcg of carnivore extract. The website for the supplement lists 125 mcg, taken three times per day, as the optimal intake for preventive uses.
How Much Does Carnivora Cost?
When I checked the product's website, each bottle, which contained 100 capsules, was $39.95 + shipping. The shipping options are:
- Priority Mail: $8.09
- FexEx 2Day: $28.64
- FedEx Standard Overnight $37.55
This would be in addition to the cost. Here are the available price options:
- 2 bottles: $79.90
- 3 bottles: $107.85
- 4 bottles: 143.80
- 5 bottles: 179.75
- 6 bottles: $215.70
- 7 bottles: $251.65
- 8 bottles: 287.60
- 9 bottles: $323.55
- 10 bottles $359.50
Purchasing 3 or more bottles entitles ou to a $4 discount per bottle. A free bottle is included as a bonus for those who purchase 5 or more bottles.
Each bottle of liquid Carnivora extact is $44.95. Each bottle contains 1 oz (30 ml).
Where To Buy Carnivora
The official company name is Carnivora Research International, and the website is Carnivora.com. It can be purchased directly from the company.
This supplement is not sold in stores like Walmart, CVS, Walmart, Costco, Walgreen's, or CVS. It is sold on Amazon.
Carnivora vs. The Competition
It should come as no surprise that when something gets popular, others will pop up with their own Venus flytrap supplements. There are others out there. However, there is no research comparing the benefits of Carnivora to other Venus flytrap supplements.
To the company's credit, they have sponsored some research on their supplement. That gives them an advantage over other similar venus fly trap supplements.
It's unknown how the supplement compares to other immune boosters such as Dr. Zelenko's Z-Stack vitamin formula or the ever-popular elderberry.
Carnivora Pro & Con
| Pro | Con |
|---|---|
| Very good better business bureau rating | Limited clinical research |
| BBB accredited business | Lots of internet hype |
| company CEO engages with customers |
Research I'd Like To See
1. Randomly give the supplement -or placebo – to 10 people before and after measuring concentrations of various white blood cells. Let's see if anything changes.
2. Give the supplement or a placebo to 10 people with fibromyalgia and measure their pain levels before and after treatment.
3. Randomly give the supplement or placebo to 10 people with arthritis and measure their pain levels before and after treatment.
Each of these questions could be answered in a few months. It wouldn't cost much to do either. Hopefully, I just gave graduate students an idea for a dissertation topic (hint, hint).
Does Carnivora Work?
I don't know if Carnivora works or not because I don’t see human research either way. The research I found supporting one of its main ingredients (plumbagin) appears to be limited to lab animals or test-tube studies. While I remain skeptical, it's probably safe for most people, and I'm intrigued enough to hope future studies are conducted to understand this supplement better.
the magazine “Immune Perspectives” is by Susan Silberstein.
(she always notes her PhD, but since all write ups avoid specifying i have to assume it’s in education or psychology based on her work.)
Hi Marie, I’m not sure what her PhD is in. I looked up Susan Silberstein and she sounds familiar to me. I believe we may have crossed paths at some point?
Has anyone heard of DrHoxie he is a perfect example of how things really are in the medical industry. Do any of you know the history of how or where n when the AMA came into being n who is behind it…stories n records get deleted n ransacked all the time to keep us in the blind
Hi Barbara, What is Dr. Hoxie first name? Ive never heard of him. I saw several doctors with this name when I searched.
What have you discovered?
His name is/was Harry he stumbled across healing herbs in the early 1900 n helped people for years ..one site that tells of his story can be found at Natuarl News Network
Barbara, OK I found him. his name was Harry Hoxsey. Here’s a documentary about him which looks like it was made in the 70s-80s
Sloan Kettering also has a page devoted to Harry Hoxsey
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/hoxsey-herbal-therapy
It looks like there is still a Hoxley biomedical center too. Other than this, I was not able to locate any clinical trials on the Hoxley cancer protocol.
Did you per chance check Pubmed.com? It took me about 20 seconds to find this abstract there. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28249720
Seems someone else has not been doing their research, eh? Google just doesn’t have all the answers, now, does it?
Hi Georgi, thanks for the link. The study you referenced basically involved isolated cells. they were human cells which is good, but we are more complicated than cells isolated from the human body.
Yes Im familiar with pubmed and some of the links in the review do point to it. If you find human research -involving humans – please do pass them a long
Thanks for being thorough and open minded and yet skeptical.
While it’s like I want to believe I can’t help but feel like some things on coast to coast are just sketchy. Which bums me out because such a cool show and George and crew are great but to hear these ads…. argh come on guys.
Things like this could work and we won’t know if we don’t study thanks for challenging the norm. Ya why not tested by cancer institute too? What are they afraid of an alternative to chemo?
J, thanks so much and I agree; I’d love to see the American Cancer Institute etc, do a clinical trial.
I have just recently started using Carnivora for back pain and it is working for me . I did look up your PO Box for carnivora and you have the wrong zip code listed. It is 06883-0035 not 08663.
Hi Bonnie, thanks so much for pointing that out. I’ve corrected my typo. I’m happy to hear Carnovora has been helping your back pain.
more interested in lymph drainage drops form carnivora. did any study on that>
Hi Anne, I did not look into Carnivora Lymph Drainage. I looked at its ingredients. I looks like it has different ingredients than the more familiar Carnivora. It didn’t look like Venus flytrap (Dionaea Muscipula) was an ingredient. If you try it, I hope you will let us know if it helped you.
Hello,
A quick point: I looked at the research you linked to regarding cats and Carnivora (thank you!). In the report, where it states that the serum biochem values were the same before and after treatment, that means that the blood remained free of any detectable pathogens after treatment.
In other words, the Carnivora prevented the viruses taking hold. I did not see any note that untreated animals did show immune markers. You may want to double check me on this. I am NOT associated with Carnivora in any way (I’m looking into it at my wife’s request). I am a humble psychotherapist/psychophysiologist, with a masters in nutrition and far too much experience in internal medicine than is good for me.
Good luck, and thanks for the research. If my wife purchases this stuff, and it does any good for our sick kitty, I’ll let you know.
Martin Finkelstein, Ph.D.
Hi Martin, thanks for sharing and I’m not sure from the research if they showed immune markers either. I do hope it helps your kitten.
Why do they need to use placebos in an animal study?
Just askin’…
Hi A.J., One reason is to prevent researchers from unconsciously showing bias. If nobody knows who gets what treatment, it helps level the playing field.
Joe: Kudos for the article. In regard to the President Reagan claim of Dr. Rowen… “[S]ays that President Regan (sic) ‘used Carnivora with success to keep malignant polyps from returning in 1985.’ ” Technically a true claim, as I interpret the statement as:
1) Reagan took Carnivora in 1985.
2) On Dec 31, 1985, the malignant polyps had not returned.
3) He also, however, had 2 feet of colon removed on July 13, 1985.
4) ” According to his doctors, the cancer had grown through the muscle wall but had not invaded the nearby lymph nodes, a stage that is associated with a five-year survival rate of approximately 80 percent.” (Brody, Jane E, “Reagan’s Illness: Medical Outlook;Cancer Of The Colon: A Leading Killer ” New York Times, July 16, 1985.) ……. and in closing…..
5) In Jan 4 ,1987, [Happy 31st Anniversary!!] he had 4 benign polyps removed which were discovered during a routine colonoscopy. “Cancer experts have said that the chances were about 5 percent that a recurrence [of malignancy] would be found at this examination.” (Altman, Lawrence K,“Doctors Remove 4 ‘Small’ Polyps In Reagan’s Colon”, NY Times, Jan 5, 1987) Please forgive my Philistine cites, as I haven’t done a true citation since 2009. . . .
Hi Tony, thanks so much for your compliments 🙂
The author is clearly biased by discounting all in-vitro studies because they are not in-vivo.
Also ridiculously mentioned lack of peer reviewe
Sorry yu obviously don’t understand the politics costs , control almost like a censorship by journals , etc, that make this unrealistic.
Only good point is ACS’ lack of care to investigate Carnivora at all.
Hi Eric, how am I being biased when I reported on the research? Any peer reviewed in vitro research on Carnivora would be acceptable to me. I honestly dont know if Carnivora works or not. I even said that in the review.
I understand clinical research can be expensive so why not just reach out to the nutrition department at a local university, and see if some grad student would undertake a study of Carnivora as part of her/his Thesis or Dissertation? That way the university does all the work. Even if the research is not published, it could be cited as unpublished research and hopefully spark further research down the road. I’d be glad to add something like that to this review.
About ACS; I would love to see the American Cancer Institute (ACS) give Carnivora a good look over. It’s beyond me why they don’t.
What puzzles me, is with so many claims of this and that. With all the investigation you did and found nothing in regards to any kind of studies to back up these claims, yet you still say, “I don’t know if it works or not?” Please sir, surely you have to know even a little that this is a scam.
Hi Greg , I hear what you are saying. I like to try to keep an open mind about these things.
We must always remember that Lack of evidence does not necessarily mean something doesn’t work. Rather it just means nobody yet has taken a good look at it yet.
That said I am disappointed at the lack of peer reviewed studies given how long this stuff has been around.
You won’t find much of anything stated in the USA as the powers that be (FDA, ACS, etc.) won’t allow it. The only thing the ACS seems to do is collect money and buy property. It is a PRIVATE org, not a govt one, and it runs on its name.
Hi Donna, I hear ya. For what its worth, I’m disappointed in the American Cancer Institute and everybody else for not taking a good clinical look at Carnivora. If you have seen any clinical studies I missed feel free to share them and I would gladly update my review.
I have not been duped! I challenge you to have your blood tested for immune system factors / components and then go on a Carnivora regimen for a couple of months before having your blood retested. I believe your lab work will show a noticeable improvement in the area of immune system function.
You probably don’t believe in Homeopathic Medicine either or in trans-dermal magnesium for use with healing bone fractures, muscle injuries and soft tissue injuries. I do because I have had first had experience with my own plantar fasciitis and my mother’s recent hairline rib fracture. Only those medical doctors at the top of the medical spectrum like some at Cleveland Clinic are willing to accept ideas / concepts / products / devices that are not orthodox.
My mother’s fractured rib healed in a little over four weeks, while a local Orthopedic Surgeon said it would take six months to heal.
Counselor Raymond. I’m sure you are aware of The Bell Curve. Perhaps your Mom had better bone structure than average female of her age, and you neglect to mention cause of “hairline fracture”. The term of art ‘hairline fracture is also known as a ‘stress fracture’ and are sometimes quite tiny so it may not even be picked up on X-Ray. I have seen rib fractures as a result of a coughing fit. Medicine is an inexact science. Always gonna have a patient or two on each end of your bell curve…
Raymond P, Kott II, Esq – I shutter to think what medical science would be, now, if everyone in the research and development end of medicine would find your methodology to be acceptable. As a medical scientist, I find that your posting seems to mirror the spirit and letter of Carnivora’s in that you make claims with NO research backing whatsoever.
Science in general, and medicine specifically hinges of demonstrated predictability and proper testing to prove that the observations and results are valid. I would direct you to any undergraduate textbook on medical statistics to give you an idea of what you seem to not grasp.
Your biggest immediate error is evident in citing what your mother went through. That is not science. There is a certain and trusted methodology to attempt to bring research results under control. Carnivora’s efforts do not demonstrate any of that.
I can assure you that responsible practitioners at the Cleveland Clinic would examine any of what you had mentioned, but that’s a far cry from accepting it. Especially when it’s based on hearsay. I promise I’ll refrain from making any legal comments or claims. I suggest that you do the same involving medicine.
I would, though, be interested in what: ” Immune Factors” and “Components” that you are referring to above. Good medicine operates on the least amount of innuendo and guess work. And above all, no snake-oil.
The author does make a good point here. If Carnivora is a standardized extract with Plumbagin as its active ingredient why wouldn’t they be clear and tell us how much Plumbagin is in each capsule.
Sorry, Carnivora is no snake oil, it really does boost one’s immune system. I know it shortens the duration and lessens the severity of colds (even at non-immune system challenged dose levels). I believe the studies on its raw ingredients prove that it assists the body with defeating cancer by supercharging the immune system (when taken in doses for a challenged immune system). It is likely capable of doing more than that too.
This is bull plane and simple. The thing the product does is enrich the makers and sellers. It is sad to see people be duped into spending their money on stuff like this.
You obviously have not read the double blind test conducted on cats; which has gotten the attention of several veterinarians in our area. It would be helpful in some Doctoral candidate would take up a double blind test with humans to see what impact carnivora has. My own personal experience is with my Yorkie who had a massive tumor removed from her front paw and was diagnosed with stage 3 cancer.
The Vet told me he would probably have to remove the leg. I put her on a sustained regimen of Carnivora liquid and it has been almost two years now with no further signs of cancer.
Hi Bruce, you mean the carnivora study of feline herpes virus – “Effects of Administration of Carnivora on Clinical Signs in Cats After Repeat Challenge with Feline Herpesvirus 1” yes I’ve read it and there is a section in the review on it. I would also like to see it replicated with people.
I’m very happy your Yorkie is doing well.
So would I like to see a human study and thanks for caring.
I have been researching for a book about the flim flam snake oil medical horse drawn wagon shows from the turn of the century, that were so fraudulent, that is why the creation of the USDA was formed to put a stop to them.
The more I research this era, hear the current carnivora pitches, the more I am convinced the more things change the more they remain the same lol
lets do a comparison? A snake oil bogus doctor rolls into town square in his medic wagon with all kinds of bogus claims on his wagon- stands on a soap box-proclaims to a crowd I have the miracle cure in this bottle to cure cancer-regrow hair-help men enlarge their penis-restore lost sexuality-makes women breast grow bigger. [THESE PITCHES ARE STILL AROUND]
Then they would have shills from the crowd step forth-say it does work. this is called “blue sky” where you make a claim on a product- their is no scientific/medical evidence you can prove-or disprove it-you must rely on personal testimonials.
Side Note: blue sky didn’t go away, they just reinvent them selves- marketed repackaged the same old BS claims in a Bottle/pill-play the numbers game looking for a dummy.
Carnivora testimonies are truly only a rehash of the old medical horse drawn wagon shows/their new town square is now radio-internet-news papers looking for dummies.
You (the author) do realize the active ingredient in Carnivora (or any brand of venus fly trap extract) is Plumbagin. No scientific study is going to use a trade name like Carnivora. I believe there are scientific studies, some from Japan, that can be easily located with a Google search.
Hi Pete, I did mention Plumbagin in my review but was not aware of it being the active ingredient in Carnivora. I took a quick look at the carnivora website. On the About page of the site, it does state the product is a “pure phytonutrient extract,” but I didn’t see plumbagin mentioned as that exact extract used. That same page also mentions “The 17 multi-faceted immune-supporting compounds” of which “hydroplumbagin” is the 2nd compound in the list. If plumbagin is the active ingredient, why are other compounds also credited as having immune supporting benefits?
As for giving credit, study researchers often disclose where they get their products from. For example, In the Carnivora cat virus study, the company is specifically credited.
Not true!. I recall reading a scientific research report from an academic setting that supports the premise that the raw ingredients in Carnivora have a a positive effect on immune systems and on aiding with the destruction of various cancer cells I am in the middle of working on important appellate work and don’t have the time to go back to look for the research.
If you honestly search for the raw ingredients in Carnivora using Google, you will find positive study results posted (assuming someone hasn’t removed them from the Internet). I printed them out but don’t have time to search for them.
You have time to read through this article, and leave a reply, but no time to locate the study results you printed? Or the research you cite? Sounds, well, hard to believe.
Eric: He is “working on important appellate work”
Joe I think you need a little more training on research. There is not doubt that one of the compounds in that plant kills cancer and I agree Linda that these studies are fixed. Look at the history of what they did with the laetrile study and Dr Gonzalez work on enzymes. Since I am a historic researcher I found absolute proof the effectiveness of one of the compounds but it is also available in green leafy vegetables. That is why diet can cure cancer.
Eugene, I am always in favor of more education. However I will still put human clinical studies ahead of test tube and lab animal studies.
I remember hearing about laetril in the 70s. I’m not aware of any proof it cures cancer or extends the lives of cancer patients. For example, in this 1982 study involving 178 cancer patients, laetril showed no benefits at all: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7033783
In a review article published in 2015 that looked at 63 previous laetril studies, likewise no benefits were seen
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22071824
I looked at your website, have you published the results of human clinical trials in medical journals?
I am always in favor of eating more fruits and vegetables especially before cancer develops.
Joe’s research is quite good. He’s looking for the kind of documentation and evidence that would show a direct causal connection between using Carnivora and a specific improvement in a human condition. He found none and he explained where he looked. That is excellent, honest research.
By the way, I’ve done my own research using PubMed, PLos, Google Scholar, and a suite of paid-access scientific journals. NOWHERE are there any studies on Carnivora or the claimed Venus Fly Trap ingredient that shows that either improves any human physical condition.
My neighbor took flax oil alone and his PSA level dropped dramatically. I believe in the Budwig diet . I studied the information on how it works. Dairy is the sulfur based protein that makes the oil available to the body. Also, a friend is having success with IP6 for breast cancer. A book by William Fischer, How to Fight Cancer and Win has much information on the Budwig diet and others. Also, look up the transcript by Clifford Beckwith and the cancer testimonials he documented over the years.
I pay little attention to trials as the cancer industry will NEVER allow a natural cure. Big money making machine. I am 74, take no meds and have found natural supplements for any problem that arose over the years. People do not believe my age and I thank God for what HE created, not man.
I have not looked into the Budwig diet but did find this nice summary of it here https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/integrative-medicine/herbs/budwig-diet-01