Are you fucking mad? was my initial response when I was first introduced to Kambo, the infamous frog poison. Why on earth would I want to burn parts of my skin, apply a poison from a frog that makes me puke my guts up, and feel like I'm dying? But that aside, the question I am often asked is - does Kambo really work?

The simple answer is yes, and no!

Now I know that doesn't help anyone, so let me explain. As with many new-age remedies/procedures, the list of benefits, especially Kambo, is hugely overhyped and massively exaggerated. Practitioners would have you believe it cures everything from depression to third world debt. I jest obviously, at least to an extent. The fact remains that I think the benefits are hugely overstated, but that's not to say Kambo has no medicinal and healing properties at all.

The benefits of Kambo I have personally experienced:

Strengthens the immune system
Anti-inflammatory properties
Helps with depression

However, the often-cited list of benefits doesn't stop there, and that's when I start to question such bold claims.

Kambo apparently offers a wide range of potential medical uses for the treatment of diseases such as:

Addiction
Diabetes
Alzheimer
Parkinson
Heal eyesight
Migraines
Blood circulation problems
Cancer
Fertility problems
AIDS
Hepatitis

If it sounds too good to be true, then as we know, it usually is.

As much as it sounds like a ridiculous concept, there seems to be a fascination surrounding this procedure that, on paper, sounds truly horrific. It's not just horrific on paper; it's a truly horrific experience in reality. But, I will say that when it's finally over, you do feel somewhat elated. Now that could be that it's pure relief to feel like you're no longer dying, purging or going to shit yourself.

"I am NOT a fan of Kambo personally" - Damian King

As I have previously discussed with psychedelics such as Ayahuasca, DMT, and Psilocybin. They all have the potential to be hugely beneficial to those who use them correctly. But alone, they are far from the miracle cure people hope them to be. And the same can be said with Kambo.

My thoughts and feelings on Kambo

In short, I think Kambo could do with a rebrand. It's certainly needed if it's going to be adopted as a mainstream procedure. Obviously, I can't comment on its effects on diseases I don't personally suffer from. But I am sure you will agree they are extensive, and that would be an understatement. But I think the most significant benefit, at least for me personally, is that Kambo acts as a great reset. Certainly from a mindset perspective.

After my first ever Kambo experience, I sustained from alcohol for around two months and felt amazing for it. The thought of processed foods repulsed me. I craved wholesome clean food, especially fruit. And the single biggest thing that has changed from a biological perspective is that I no longer get cold sores. Which is something I historically got at least twice a year since I can remember. And as anyone who suffers from cold sores, which is a form of herpes, will know, once you have them, there's nothing (supposedly) you can do to get rid of them. Well, all I can is that since I first tried Kambo, I haven't had a single cold sore. So from an immune-boosting perspective, I can categorically say it has been hugely beneficial.

I have done approximately 10 Kambo sessions and hated every one of them, although I felt great afterwards. I haven't received Kambo for a couple of years now and don't intend to anytime soon.

For more in-depth details of what Kambo is, here are some great resources.

A good friend of mine, Jonathan Gold, co-founder of Planet Kambo, recently appeared on the Primed Mind podcast.