A “cleansing” ceremony involving the poisonous skin of an Amazonian frog is believed to be the cause of death for a wellness coach — mere months after he beat cancer.
After recovering from Burkitt lymphoma, an aggressive type of blood cancer, Kristian Trend became immersed in holistic wellness.
But his participation in a dangerous “detox” ritual involving the use of a “toad vaccine” had a fatal end.
The 40-year-old wellness coach and plant-based energy drink company owner regularly shared wellness tips on his social media account, “Kristian The Feel Good Guy.”
He became extremely interested in alternative medicine after traveling through Asia and took part in a “kambo” cleansing ceremony last month in the UK.
The traditional Amazonian ritual is practiced by indigenous tribes and features kambo, a waxy substance secreted by a species of giant leaf frog (also called the giant monkey frog) in South America. The substance is toxic and used by these frogs to deter predators.
Ceremony participants drink a liter of water, then create small burns on their skin with a burning stick and apply the poisonous substance to the open wounds. For men, these wounds are typically on the arms or chest, while for women they are usually on the legs.
The resulting vomiting and diarrhea are intended to act as a “detox” and offer several benefits, such as enhanced physical endurance, sharpened mental clarity and a boost to overall health.
“He was going to cleanse himself, that’s what he said to me,” Trend’s mother, Angie, told The Telegraph. “He was very spiritual. He took a lot of vitamins.”
However, there is no evidence to support that kambo has any health benefits — and in fact, it’s been linked to serious health issues including seizures, liver failure, heart attacks and even death.
The frog toxin acts as a strong psychedelic similar to ayahuasca and can result in harmful effects like confusion, memory loss, lethargy and psychosis.
The physical effects can also include seizures, liver failure and heart attacks, sometimes resulting in sudden cardiac death.
In 2019, an Australian woman named Natasha Lechner died after using kambo. In 2021, another Australian named Jarrad Antonovich took kambo on a six-day retreat and also died.
The poisonous substance has been marketed as an alternative treatment, especially among cancer patients, and has become increasingly popular in other parts of the world, including Europe and the US.
While the sale of kambo is illegal in Brazil, Chile and Australia, the toxin isn’t banned in the UK or the US — though its use is strictly regulated in the latter.
While the wellness coach’s death is undergoing test results, a UK government spokesman has urged caution when using alternative therapies.
“Any substance that poses a risk to public health or safety will be kept under review,” they said.
Following his death, Trend’s mother hopes action will be taken to prevent future deaths.
“I hope they ban it, but I’m not strong enough to fight for it,” she said.
