Can Vitamin B17 kill cancer cells?

Hyderabad: Several social media users have claimed that Vitamin B17 can potentially kill cancer.

The post reads, “Vitamin B17 is banned because it kills cancer cells. Found in apricot seeds. Crack open the pit and the seed is inside! (sic)”

Fact Check

NewsMeter found the claim to be a hoax.

What is Vitamin B17?

“Vitamin B17 refers to a drug called laetrile, an artificial form of amygdalin. Amygdalin is a plant substance present in some nuts, plants, and fruit seeds that people may take to treat cancer. However, no research supports it as an effective treatment and instead links it to potentially severe side effects,” according to Medical News Today.

Is it safe to rely on Vitamin B17 for cancer?

No. The US Food and Drugs Administration has not considered Vitamin B17 to be safe for consumption.

Also, laetrile or Vitamin B17 has not been approved as a vitamin by the American Institute of Nutrition Vitamins.

According to the National Cancer Institute, “No controlled clinical trials of laetrile have been reported. Anecdotal reports and case reports have not shown laetrile to be an effective treatment for cancer.”

It added, “The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved laetrile as a treatment for cancer or any other medical condition. Laetrile is made in Mexico. The way that laetrile is made is not regulated by the FDA, so batches of laetrile may vary in purity and contents.”

Moreover, a few test-tube studies suggest that laetrile may reduce the chances of tumors by affecting the genes that help them spread. But there is no evidence that Vitamin B17 would have the same effect on humans as well. Human trials are rare as Vitamin B17 can cause serious side effects and may even cause cyanide poisoning.

What are the side effects of Vitamin B17 aka amygdalin aka laetrile?

The National Cancer Institute says, “The side effects associated with laetrile toxicity mirror the symptoms of cyanide poisoning, including liver damage, difficulty walking (caused by damaged nerves), fever, coma, and death.”

Hence, it should be noted that Vitamin B17 is neither a vitamin nor a cancer antidote.