What is Vitamin B17

You may not have heard of vitamin B17 as it isn’t a vitamin that gets as much coverage as other vitamins at the moment but that may well change! It is making a name for itself as being one with many benefit. Chiefly, including the ability to boost the immune system and overall health.

Vitamin B17 is often referred to as Amygdalin. It can be found in the seeds of several fruits (apricot being a key one), sorghum, various plants such as clover and raw nuts.

Amygdalin is something that our bodies are not able to produce so it’s important that we consume it through our diet.

There is a synthetic form of amygdalin that is also called B17 and this is known as laetrile. It is something that has been suggested to be an alternative cancer treatment.

Laetrile is synthetic as it is created when amygdalin is mixed with water and a chemical reaction occurs.

What is B17 vitamin good for?

Just like any other vitamin, B17 has a lot of different benefits and a daily dose could be really beneficial to your body.

Why?

Well, our bodies rely on six different groups of nutrients (carbohydrates, vitamins, water, fats, proteins and water).

Sometimes our bodies can’t produce these quickly enough and it may be wise to top them up with daily supplements.

The one nutrient that is incredibly important for our bodies is vitamins. You may often hear them referred to as micronutrients and this is because our bodies only require a relatively small amount of each. Thus – a ‘micro’ amount if you will.

However, it’s important that our bodies do get these small but mighty vitamins otherwise complications can occur. It’s like a very fine juggling act.

In the case of b17, it is very good for a number of things. Many people report an increase in their energy levels when taking apricot kernels.

Other sources have seen a general improvement in their health – who doesn’t want that?

Due to the fact that B17 is natural, it can be a superb way to detox your body and do so naturally.

What foods are high in B17?

Vitamin B17 is found in many different raw nuts, plants, and seeds. However, if you’re looking for the highest dose then look no further than the humble apricot

In each apricot seed, there could be as much as 20mg of vitamin b17 in there. After all,  they really do pack an impressive punch.

Potential Health Benefits of B17/Laetrile/Amygdalin

Putting the anti-cancer benefits to the side, B17 has many other benefits that can lead to a healthier life:

Regulating Hypertension

The formation of thiocyanate can be regulated with the use of vitamin b17, this can help to reduce lower blood pressure.

Boosts the Immune System

While our bodies do have their own immune system, this isn’t always in the best shape possible.  Ultimately who doesn’t want a boost to their own immune system now and again?

Vitamin B17 has been shown to slow the spread of harmful cells and disease down. Furthermore, this in turn, strengthens your immune system.

There is also evidence to suggest that B17 can increase the production of white blood cells, helping our immune system to protect itself from any harmful cells.

Great Antioxidant

B17 can act as a natural way to detox, which can be beneficial to many of us from time to time. The way this works is through its reaction with other vitamins already present in our systems such as; vitamins A, C, and E.

These all help to remove toxic cells from our body by breaking them down, B17 can help speed up this process so you really do get that detox feeling.

Pain Reliever

There is evidence to suggest that B17 can serve as an effective natural pain reliever for those who suffer from inflammatory conditions.

Sources have shown that laetrile can be particularly effective in the pain relief of those with arthritis.

Is B17 poisonous?

As with any vitamin, there are side effects.

The science behind (and the reason it’s effective) B17 or Laetrile is that it releases hydrogen cyanide into your body and the cyanide can be a way to kill off any cancer cells by cutting off the oxygen to those cells.

Obviously, hydrogen cyanide can be damaging to us so the dosage instructions must be followed correctly at all times to avoid negative side effects and the potential of cyanide poisoning.

Some side effects of laetrile can be:

• Droopy upper eyelids
• Headache
• Dizzy spells
• Fever
• Liver damage

If you are taking laetrile tablets then it is best to avoid food that also contains amygdalin as this can affect your dosage level and cause side effects.

It also best to avoid laetrile if you currently suffer from liver damage.

With a sufficient fact check and understanding about dosage then laetrile and Amygdalin can have many positive health benefits!

What is Amygdalin used for?

Cancer Treatment

Amygdalin is found naturally in apricot kernels. Laetrile was created in 1952 by Dr Ernst T. Krebs and it contains purified Amygdalin. This is why both Laetrile and amygdalin are often interchangeable when being discussed.

Forms of amygdalin are found in other places too:

• Vegetables – lima beans, butter beans, bean sprouts, carrots and mung beans
• Seeds – Buckwheat, flaxseeds and millet
• Raw nuts – Bitter almonds, macadamia nuts as well as raw almonds
• Fruit pits – cherries, pears and apples

Laetrile or amygdalin became popular amongst people with cancer as a potential natural treatment for cancer and has continued to be a popular natural method.

There are theories to suggest that amygdalin can be used as an anti-cancer agent due to the hydrogen cyanide effect in the body.

When vitamin B17 otherwise known as laetrile passes through your body it is then converted into hydrogen cyanide. The reason that this is beneficial to people with cancer is that cyanide can be used to kill cells, including cancer cells by preventing them from access to oxygen.

Scientists are unclear exactly how Laetrile or Amygdalin can be used as a treatment for cancer. It is thought that rather than targeting all cells, it is able to target cancer cells and aid in treating vitamin deficiency as well as nutritional deficiencies, and we do not make claims nor can we prove that taking Vitamin B17 will cure cancer.

What else?

A lot of the research into Laetrile or Amygdalin has focused on cancer cells and treatment for cancer, there have been other studies that at what else laetrile amygdalin can be used for and there really is something for almost everyone!

Lowering blood pressure

Laetrile amygdalin is one natural way to lower your blood pressure.

Studies have shown that using a form of amygdalin helped to lower both upper and lower values of pressure. The upper value can be lowered by up to 28.5% and the lower value by up to 25%. This blood pressure reduction can be further enhanced by pairing amygdalin with vitamin C.

Help with Pain Relief

Amygdalin is considered to be a vitamin and can help with pain caused by different inflammatory conditions.

Conditions such as arthritis can be helped by taking a daily dose of amygdalin.

Boost in Immunity

Though there are currently no human studies to provide additional evidence, a test-tube study showed that laetrile can be used as a treatment against different cancer types by improving the immune cells.

This evidence was particularly strong in prostate cancer cells.

Is vitamin b17 legal in the UK?

Yes! B17 is a natural vitamin that comes from various different natural sources such as lima beans, bitter almonds and apricots.

What are apricot kernels?

Within an apricot is a stone and within that stone are seeds, this is where apricot kernels come from.

What is so good about these seeds? They contain a nutrient that has many health benefits for people, this is known as Amygdalin.

If your blood pressure or cholesterol is high, then apricot kernels could be the perfect solution for you.

It is also said that kernels work well to assist with digestion and strengthening your immune system. So for those after a natural solution to health concerns, then it’s absolutely worth considering apricot kernels and all the benefits that come with them.

The appearance of an apricot kernel is similar to that of a small almond. The difference is that when apricot kernels are fresh they are white in colour. When they are dried out, the skin takes on a light brown appearance.

Different parts of the world will use apricot kernels differently.

It is not uncommon to make a snack out of them in Egypt for example – it’s called “Dokka” if you’re interested in making it yourself.

Apricot Kernels Diversity

Apricot kernels are sometimes used in the productions of oil, cosmetics and medicine.

One thing that attracts people is what is contained within kernels, that is fibre, protein and a high percentage of oil, these are often extracted out of the kernels.

Similar in appearance to almonds, that is not where the similarities end. Some people will use the oil from the kernels to cook food with, in the same way, that sweet almond oil is used.

You can find apricot kernels in different types of processed food, almond finger biscuits, apricot jams and amaretto biscuits to name but a few.

The belief in the North-West Himalayas is that a wild apricot has many medicinal and nutritional benefits. Hair-care and skin products are some of these benefits, biodiesel is another.

There is a bitter variety of apricot kernels and they too have their uses. You can often find these in cosmetics that are largely oil-based such as body oil and essential oil.

In India, many people will use the oil from kernels to make massage oil, this is due to the belief that it can relieve aches and pains.

Overall there is a strong belief across the globe that apricot kernels provide some degree of nutritional and medicinal benefit to people.

What nutrients do apricot kernels contain?

We have touched upon the fact that apricot kernels and the amygdalin or b17 inside of them can have lots of positive health benefits. But let’s dig a little deeper into the nutrients and experts evidence supporting these apricots.

The actual breakdown of the compound will vary slightly depending on the type of apricot but one study presents evidence to suggest that kernels composition looks a little something like:

• Oils – 27.7 to 66.7%
• Protein – 14.1 to 45.3%. Within this animo acids make-up 32-34%
• Carbohydrates – 18.1 to 27.9%

Anybody who needs an increase of fibre in their diet may find their answer within vitamin b17 as around 5% of the kernel breakdown is fibre.

Fatty acids

Some fatty acids are essential and the oil that can be extracted from apricot kernels is high in these fatty acids.

While these fatty acids are essential to our overall health, our body cannot produce them so the best way to ensure we get these supplements is through our diet and this is where apricot kernels really shines as the super fruit.

Linoleic acid (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3) are our two main types of fatty acids that are essential.

Omega-3 has a big role to play when it comes to our brain function, it helps with development and growth.

That’s not all that fatty acids can do, they are known to stimulate skin and hair growth as well as regulate the metabolism and maintain the health of bones.

Scientific Evidence

There is also some scientific evidence to suggest that fatty acids can help support the reproductive system and contain antioxidant properties. So for those concerned about their reproductive system, may wish to boost their intake of fatty acids.

To back up this scientific evidence, there have been several animal studies conducted. One of which was in 2011 and looked at rats with liver fibrosis. During these animal studies, the rodents were given a 1.5mg dose of apricot kernels grounded up.

The rats were given laetrile three times a week and this was over the course of 4 weeks. The effectiveness of laetrile was noted by the scientists and it was shown that there was an improvement in symptoms.

This health information was suggested to come from the work of the antioxidants found in apricot kernels and the oil that comes from them.

Vitamins and minerals

While the vitamins and minerals contained within apricot kernels are not significant. The oil that can be extracted is rich in vitamin E.

Why is this important? According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin E has antioxidant properties.

This is a way to help keep your skin and eyes healthy. Vitamin E also helps to strengthen the body’s immune system and help fight infections. So overall a boost in Vit E can be beneficial to many of us!

Do sweet apricot kernels contain b17?

As a general rule, we all prefer the sweeter taste than a bitter one so it’s only natural we would prefer sweet apricot kernels.

The good news is that they too contain b17!

Different kernels contain different amounts of b17 and the sweeter variety of apricots does contain less so if you’re aiming to achieve a higher dosage but can’t face the bitter taste then it may be worth trying them in capsule form.

Consuming laetrile in capsule form will take away the bitter taste, in fact, ours tastes really quite pleasant! So there is nothing from stopping you from getting your daily dose of b17.

Can they help with cancer treatment?

When it comes laetrile and using it to help treat cancer, there is some degree of scientific evidence to suggest people with cancer do see benefits when taking doses of Laetrile or Amygdalin.

Scientists have suggested that the effects of laetrile amygdalin – which is found in apricot kernels – can be used to eradicate tumours and help to stop cells from reproducing, thus a method to prevent cancer.

There have also been various studies on the effects of laetrile and whether it is actually a treatment for cancer and there have been positive outcomes.

In 2005 a study performed in a laboratory concluded that laetrile or amygdalin have the capacity to inhibit those genes that lead to cell proliferation.

Several years later in 2012, another laboratory study found scientific evidence to show that if you enhance amygdalin or vitamin b17 with β-D-glucosidase then this can be a useful anti-cancer tool when it comes to cancer cells in the liver. This would suggest that laetrile has the capacity to help treat cancer of the liver.

Laetrile

Laetrile is taken by some cancer patients in the belief that it will have many health benefits, these include:

• Increase in energy levels
• Sense of wellbeing and general health improved
• It can work as a detox method and help in the cleansing the body

Different people prefer taking laetrile in different forms and helpfully it is available in many forms. However, the most efficient way to get the benefits of kernels into your system is through capsules.

Manufactured in The UK

The capsules will help you to get your daily dose of vitamins and nutrients. Our amygdalin or vitamin b17 capsules are manufactured in the UK. So you can be assured of quality and safe in the knowledge that they have come from a trusted source. What’s more, they even have a pleasant taste!

We aim to provide high-quality apricot kernels capsules with lots of health benefits. Our production process is robust, to ensure vitamin b17 capsules contain only the best and maximum amount of goodness and we make sure our raw apricot kernels undergo a purification process.