NOW Cat’s Claw 500mg, 100 Vegetarian Capsules
Cat’s claw is an Amazonian vine bark that helps support comfortable joints and a resilient immune system, and NOW supplies it as pure ground bark, 500mg a capsule, two capsules a day.
It suits adults who want to keep moving comfortably, people whose knees or hands feel stiff after a long day at work or a hard week in the garden, and anyone looking for steady, everyday support for their natural defences. Communities in the Peruvian Amazon have simmered this bark into a decoction for generations, calling the vine uña de gato for the curved thorns along its stem, and modern trials have since looked at what it does for painful joints.
How Cat’s Claw May Support Comfortable Joints
Joints are where cat’s claw has been studied most closely, and the results are encouraging.
In a placebo-controlled trial, 45 men with knee osteoarthritis took a cat’s claw preparation for four weeks. Pain during activity and the doctors’ own assessment scores both improved significantly against placebo, and the improvement in activity-related pain showed up within the first week.
A second trial looked at 40 adults with rheumatoid arthritis who were already on their usual treatment. Those who added a cat’s claw extract finished with fewer painful joints than those who added a dummy capsule, and they tolerated it well alongside the medicines they were taking.
Researchers put this down to the plant’s oxindole alkaloids and its quinovic acid glycosides, natural compounds that appear to calm the everyday inflammatory signalling behind stiff, aching joints.
Everyday Support for Your Natural Defences
Cat’s claw earned its reputation in the Amazon as a tonic for general resilience, and laboratory work has begun to show why. Its alkaloids appear to encourage the white blood cells that sweep up debris and worn-out cells, which is the routine housekeeping your immune system does every day.
That makes it a popular choice during the rainy months, after a demanding stretch at work, or simply as part of a steady daily routine. Think of it as background support rather than a quick fix.
Antioxidant Protection, from Bark Rich in Polyphenols
The inner bark is naturally rich in polyphenols and tannins, plant compounds that help mop up the reactive molecules produced by ordinary living: sunshine, traffic fumes, a hard week, a hard workout. Antioxidant protection is the quiet reason many herbal tonics endure, and cat’s claw is one of the better-endowed barks for it.
This matters most for joints, because the cartilage and the lining of a working knee take a steady share of that oxidative wear year after year. Antioxidant support and joint comfort are two halves of the same story rather than separate benefits, which is part of why one bark has held both reputations for so long.
Whole Bark, the Traditional Way
NOW takes the traditional route with this one. Rather than a concentrated extract, each capsule holds pure ground inner bark of Uncaria tomentosa, the same part of the plant Peruvian healers have simmered into a decoction for generations, at a generous gram a day across two capsules.
The clinical trials above used concentrated extracts standardised to their alkaloids, at smaller milligram amounts. Both approaches have their followers: a standardised extract gives you a fixed alkaloid figure, while whole bark keeps the full spread of compounds the plant produces, in the form with the longest history of use. If you would like to compare the two, our pharmacist is happy to talk it through with you.
What Is in Each Serving
Two vegetarian capsules, the daily serving, supply:
- Cat’s claw (Uncaria tomentosa) inner bark — 1,000mg
- Total carbohydrate — under 1g
The only other ingredients are the cellulose capsule shell and vegetable stearic acid. NOW is a long-established American supplement maker, and this product is made in a GMP-certified facility, free from yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish and tree nuts. A bottle of 100 capsules gives you 50 daily servings.
Who Cat’s Claw Is For
Adults with stiff or aching joints who want to stay active and comfortable. People over forty keeping knees, hips and hands in good working order. Anyone wanting steady immune support through the rainy season or a demanding stretch. And vegetarians and vegans, since the bark and the capsule are both plant-based.
How to Take It, and What to Expect
Take two capsules a day with food and a glass of water. Taking them with a meal keeps your stomach comfortable and fits the habit into an existing routine, which is the easiest way to remember it.
Take it every day, consistently. The joint trials ran from four weeks to six months, so give cat’s claw at least a month, and ideally two, to show what it can do for you. A bottle of 100 capsules lasts fifty days, which covers that first stretch comfortably.
Cat’s claw works best alongside the everyday things that keep joints moving well: staying active within what feels comfortable, keeping weight steady so knees and hips carry less, and warming up before anything strenuous. A supplement supports those habits rather than standing in for them.
Is Cat’s Claw Right for You?
Cat’s claw is well tolerated by most adults. Because it gently nudges the immune system along, our pharmacist is happy to check it with you first if any of these apply:
- You have an autoimmune condition such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, or you take medicine that holds the immune system down, including after a transplant.
- You take medicine for HIV, or any regular prescription medicine, since cat’s claw can change how quickly the liver clears some of them.
- You take medicine for blood pressure or a blood thinner, or you have an operation or dental extraction coming up.
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding, or buying for someone under eighteen. The manufacturer advises adults only.
Side effects are uncommon and usually mild, such as an upset stomach, and taking the capsules with food helps.
Storing It
Keep the bottle tightly closed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and out of reach of children. A slight natural variation in the colour of the bark powder is normal and simply reflects the plant it came from.
Where to Buy Cat’s Claw in Kenya
Order online and we deliver countrywide, or collect from our pharmacy at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We send orders to Nairobi and every neighbourhood around it — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Rosslyn, Kitisuru, Lower Kabete, Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Buruburu, Donholm, Embakasi, Ngong Road, Kasarani, Roysambu, Zimmerman, Githurai, Ruaka, Banana Hill, Two Rivers, Village Market and Pride Lands — and across Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru and Ngong.
Beyond the capital we deliver to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Athi River, Kitengela, Kajiado, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Bomet, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Siaya, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Webuye, Kitale, Nandi Hills, Iten, Kapenguria, Embu, Meru, Chuka, Kerugoya, Murang’a, Othaya, Nyahururu, Nanyuki, Maralal, Isiolo, Marsabit, Moyale, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Mwingi, Makueni, Emali, Kibwezi, Voi, Taveta, Wundanyi, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi, Lamu and Hola. Packed to travel, cool-boxed where the weather calls for it, and tracked from our counter to your door.
Across Africa, ask us before you order. We have sent orders to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and as far as Malawi, and we will quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of the continent. What we need to know first is your country’s import rules for food supplements and how long the parcel will be in transit; we will tell you plainly if a destination is not worth the shipping cost.
Living abroad? Order from wherever you are and we deliver to your family here in Kenya. Kenyans in the UK, the United States, Canada, South Africa and the Gulf order from us regularly for parents and relatives at home. You pay online from where you live, we deliver to their door anywhere on the list above, and we confirm with you once it has arrived. Give us their name, their phone number and the estate or town they live in, and we will do the rest.
Why Buy Your Cat’s Claw from HealthAlone Kenya?
HealthAlone is a pharmacist-led health ecosystem licensed by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and our stock is original, sealed and correctly stored.
Our pharmacists can help you get the most from cat’s claw, from how it fits alongside anything else you take to how long to give it, so you can start with confidence.
It is one more step in our vision: building Africa’s most trusted health ecosystem, accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cat’s claw good for?
It is best known for joint comfort, where it has been studied in both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and for everyday support of your natural defences. The bark is also naturally rich in polyphenols, which help protect your cells from the reactive molecules produced by ordinary living.
Does cat’s claw help with joint pain?
It may. In a placebo-controlled trial, 45 men with knee osteoarthritis saw activity-related pain and their doctors’ assessment scores improve significantly over four weeks, with pain during activity improving in the first week. In a second trial, 40 adults with rheumatoid arthritis who added cat’s claw to their usual treatment finished with fewer painful joints than those on placebo.
How much cat’s claw is in each capsule?
500mg of pure Uncaria tomentosa inner bark. The daily serving of two capsules supplies 1,000mg.
Is this an extract or whole bark?
Whole bark. NOW grinds the inner bark and encapsulates it, which is the traditional Peruvian form, rather than concentrating it into a standardised extract. Ask our pharmacist if you would like to compare the two approaches.
How do I take it?
Two capsules a day with food and a glass of water. Take it every day and give it at least a month, ideally two.
How long does a bottle last?
Fifty days. There are 100 capsules in the bottle and the daily serving is two.
Is it suitable for vegetarians and vegans?
Yes. The capsule shell is plant cellulose and the contents are ground bark. It is also free from yeast, wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish, shellfish and tree nuts.
Can I take it with my arthritis medicine?
Check with our pharmacist first, particularly if your arthritis is rheumatoid or another autoimmune type, or if you take medicine that holds the immune system down. In the rheumatoid trial, participants took cat’s claw alongside their usual treatment under supervision, and that is the right way to approach it.
Can I take it with other medicines?
Bring your list to our pharmacist. Cat’s claw can change how quickly the liver clears certain medicines, including some HIV medicines, and it may add to the effect of blood pressure medicines and blood thinners.
Should I stop it before surgery?
Yes, and tell whoever is operating. Ask us how far ahead to stop, and we will give you a clear date to work to.
Are there side effects?
Most people have none. The occasional upset stomach usually settles when the capsules are taken with a meal. If anything else starts soon after you begin taking it, stop and let us know.
Where can I buy cat’s claw in Kenya?
From HealthAlone, online for delivery countrywide or over the counter at Kahawa Sukari Shopping Center, Nairobi. We deliver across Nairobi — the CBD, Westlands, Parklands, Gigiri, Muthaiga, Runda, Kitisuru, Lavington, Kilimani, Karen, Langata, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Roysambu, Githurai, Ruaka and Banana Hill — and to Kiambu, Thika, Juja, Ruiru, Kikuyu, Limuru, Ngong, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, Eldoret, Nyeri, Machakos, Kitengela, Naivasha, Narok, Kericho, Kisii, Migori, Homa Bay, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Kitale, Embu, Meru, Nanyuki, Nyahururu, Isiolo, Marsabit, Wajir, Mandera, Garissa, Lodwar, Kitui, Makueni, Voi, Taveta, Mariakani, Diani, Ukunda, Kilifi, Watamu, Malindi and Lamu. Outside Kenya we have delivered to Uganda, Tanzania, Somaliland and Malawi, and we quote for Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa and the rest of Africa on request.
