Arnica do Mato Review – Worth Trying?

Arnica do Mato is a South American shrub that purportedly aids athletic recovery. The shrub is making headlines after being mentioned by Golden State Warriors’ player Leandro Barbosa. Here’s what you need to know about Arnica do Mato.

What is Arnica do Mato?

Arnica do Mato is a ­South American shrub that is used in Brazil as an athletic recovery aid. The leaves of the shrub are extracted, condensed, and turned into a viscous green liquid. You drink it to help recover after a tough workout.

The shrub has been in the news lately after it was mentioned by Shaun Livingston of the Golden State Warriors. Livingston traveled to Brazil to train last summer with teammate Leandro Barbosa. While there, Livingston learned the secret behind Barbosa’s famous durability: he drinks the unique green beverage after each training session.

The 33 year old Barbosa has continued to produce off the bench this postseason for the Warriors. He’s one of the oldest players on the team but still lives up to his nickname, the Brazilian Blur, something he picked up as one of the shiftiest guards in the NBA. Despite having knee surgery just three months ago, Barbosa credits Arnica do Mato for helping him maintain his quickness and boost his recovery.

How to Drink Arnica do Mato

Arnica do Mato, according to Barbosa, “burns going down” and you will “kind of feel dizzy if you’re not used to it.”

Barbosa ships the drink directly from Brazil as an extract and drinks it straight, twice a day – once in the morning and once at night.

He says the drink isn’t particularly delicious, but that’s not surprising considering it’s not meant for human consumption.

It’s Medicine for Horses

One of the most surprising parts about arnica do mato is that it’s not a human medicine. As Barbosa explained in an interview,

“It’s a medicine you give horses. Whenever they get hurt, it helps them recover very quickly. Because they have to run.”

Despite the fact it’s meant for horses, Barbosa swears by it and claims he gives it to his entire family. In an interview with The New York Times, he claims he has not sustained any serious injuries since he began drinking his “Amazonian potion” and believes that isn’t a coincidence.

His teammates aren’t yet on board with arnica do mato. Harrison Barnes said it “tastes like acid” and Festus Ezeli says he “almost threw up” after trying it for the first time.

How Does Arnica do Mato Work?

Arnica do mato is also known as lychnophora ericoides. Contrary to what you may think (or maybe not), the plant is not related to arnica montana, which is a plant that grows naturally across the mountainous regions of Europe and is commonly sold as an over-the-counter remedy for soreness, bruising, and swelling. They’re not the same plant, but they are distant cousins.

The active ingredients in arnica do mato are flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants found in many types of plants. Certain types of plants have higher levels of flavonoids than others. Seaweeds and algae, for example, have been undergoing a lot of recent research for their high levels of flavonoids.

In addition to flavonoids, arnica do mato appears to work using sesquiterpene lactones, which are a group of chemical compounds known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

So from one end, arnica do mato reduces free radicals throughout the body with its antioxidant capabilities, and from the other end, it soothes inflammation throughout the body with its anti-inflammatory ingredients.

The best way to understand arnica do mato is to look at its closest medical cousin, arnica montana. The NY Times reports that arnica montana typically comes in the form of a topical gel, and it’s always diluted before being applied to the skin. You can also find it in pill form. Unlike the concentrated extract that Barbosa drinks, the pills don’t burn going down. In America, arnica montana products are considered an over the counter drug by the FDA. You can buy them from Amazon, health food stores, and other major retailers.

Arnica do mato, however, is not yet available for purchase outside of Brazil.

Barbosa Only Recently Started Drinking Arnica do Mato Extract

Barbosa is clearly a huge fan of the Brazilian endurance-boosting extract, but he didn’t discover the extract until he experienced a devastating ligament injury in his left knee in February 2013.

As Barbosa began to rehabilitate from that injury, his personal trainer Alex Evangelista suggested he try supplementing with arnica do mato extract.

Soon afterwards, Barbosa was literally bathing in arnica do mato: Alex would add arnica do mato to a cold tub and assist with the healing process after a tough workout.

How to Buy Arnica do Mato

Even millionaire athletes like Barbosa can’t buy arnica do mato anywhere in America. Barbosa orders his extract from Brazil, where it’s a popular homemade remedy.

Most of the good arnica do mato concoctions are homemade. Some Brazilian families will marinate the leaves of the plant in alcohol to draw out their healing properties before soaking rags in the liquid balm.

Due to the recent media attention from Barbosa, it’s possible that Brazilian arnica do mato suppliers may look at exporting to the United States. We’ll keep you posted if that changes.

In the meantime, you can buy plenty of Arnica montana supplements online – including topical ointments. You just can’t buy the arnica do mato variety.