Laetrile and Flawed Logic
The Chemistry of Cancer
“Scientists” are apparently confused about the Biochemistry!
Laetrile is a diglucocide with a cyanide radical that is highly “bio-accessible”. What this means is that it can penetrate through the cellular membrane reaching high intra-cellular concentrations easily.
Now, cancer cells (no matter the type of cancer) are known as trophoblasts. These cells contain an enzyme called beta-glucosidase, also known as the “unlocking enzyme”.
When laetrile comes in contact with the enzyme beta-glucosidase, the laetrile is broken down to form four molecules of glucose:
- One molecule of benzaldehyde
- One molecule of hydrogen cyanide (HCN)
- Two molecules of glucose
The enzyme beta-glucosidase, and only that enzyme, is capable of manufacturing the HCN from laetrile thereby affecting only the cancer cell and no other cell.
If there are no cancer cells in the body, there is no beta-glucosidase— without beta-glucosidase, no HCN will be formed from the laetrile— thus, no release of the cyanide molecule in the body.
Now, the normal healthy cells in our body contain an enzyme called rhodanese. This enzyme does not allow the laetrile to release the cyanide molecule. So now, the laetrile simply provides the body energy, much like glucose.
Malignant cells do not contain the enzyme rodhanese.
Hence, only in the absence of rhodanese AND in the presence of beta-glucosidase, the laetrile becomes activated, which then frees the cyanide molecule (HCN). The HCN can now move inside the malignant cancer cell causing its destruction.
Now what about foods that contain natural occurring cyanide compounds?
As it turns out, it is natural for us to eat such foods and moreover, our body has a built-in defense system to remove the cyanide. The detoxification of cyanide from healthy tissue occurs, through the action of the enzyme rhodanese (as you just learned.) In the presence of cyanide compounds, rhodanese converts free cyanide to thiocyanate, a non-toxic compound. Thiocyanate is then safely excreted through the urine.
Thiocyanate is not some mysterious chemical found in Vitamin B17 or apricot seeds, it is normal metabolic byproduct after ingestion of other cyanide-containing foods (or nitrilosides) such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, almonds, beans, grains, etc.)
All of which are now thought to prevent cancer!
Now isn’t that interesting?!
Yet, the attack was nonetheless focused on apricot seeds and Vitamin B17.
If the FDA is so determined in its flawed science regarding the cyanide component, why then are cigarettes not banned? Check out this statement from the Centers for Disease (CDC) and Prevention website regarding “Facts about Cyanide”:
“Smoking cigarettes is probably one of the major sources of cyanide exposure for people who do not work in cyanide-related industries.”
Will the irony ever stop?
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is a board-certified Chiropractic Physician and Life Coach who also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology, and a minor in Medical Research. She is a life-long athlete who after curing herself 100% naturally from MS and anxiety, became an avid nutrition health researcher/promoter.
She has been featured in many Health magazines and has been a guest on radio talk shows in the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. She is the author of Health Freedom Revolution: Exposing the Lies, Deceit and Greed of the Medical Profession, Founder of Online Holistic Health, and a contributing writer for other popular informative health website/blogs.
She is the host of Holistic Health Radio – where she discusses how she recovered her health as well as other hot health topics, and she is also co-founder of Crazy Meets Common Sense! – The Podcast that Makes Sense Out of the Crazy, to Help You Live a More Healthy, Fulfilling and Empowering Life!
June 25, 2015 @ 1:55 am
I’ve read that there are many foods that contain beta-glucosidase, and so eating these foods while also taking in amygdalin, could actually result in cyanide poisoning. Foods such as Kefir, regualr almonds (not bitter), olive leaf extract, honey, onions, and even candida, can supposedly unlock the laetrile and release cyanide. I’ve also heard that apricot kernels themselves contain a little beta-glucosidase, and a tiny bit of cyanide is released in the mouth while chewing. I believe that, because if I hold the chewed seeds in my mouth for a moment, my tongue starts to become a little numb. I also sometimes experience a rapid heartbeat after eating 2-3 seeds. This is not to dismiss any obvious benefit for those with cancer; I’m just saying that perhaps a little more intelligent caution is in order before a person takes a lot of this substance internally. At lease research what foods contain beta-glucosidase, and avoid them after a laetrile injection or after eating a bunch of seeds with amygdalin. Peace.
July 30, 2015 @ 1:31 pm
Hi William! Apricot kernels are actually the active ingredient of Laetrile. However…
“Malignant cells do not contain the enzyme rodhanese.
Hence, only in the absence of rhodanese AND in the presence of beta-glucosidase, the laetrile becomes activated, which then frees the cyanide molecule (HCN). The HCN can now move inside the malignant cancer cell causing its destruction.”
It would be nearly impossible to get cyanide poisoning from eating the foods you listed while taking Laetrile for the treatment of cancer. The amount of beta-glucosidase is simply too low in those foods (the amount you’d have to eat would be impossible). Though caution should be made with the amount of a Apricot kernels (and other seeds even apple) that is consumed. The suggested amount is no greater the the seeds found in one apricot. Furthermore…the dangers from chemo and radiation are far greater than cyanide poisoning from apricot seeds.
Thanks for your comment!
July 10, 2017 @ 8:31 pm
I recently came up to this argument about amygdalin being a cure for cancer.
Could you please provide a source for your argument that beta-glucosidase enzymes are only found or at least a significantly more amount is found in cancer cells? Also you claimed that rhodanese enzymes are absent or signigicantly less present in cancer cells. Could you provide supporting evidence for this as well? i.e. Western blot
Thank you so much.
July 11, 2017 @ 8:41 am
Hello Andrew! Wonderful question!
First, let me say that there are MANY cures for cancer (and all disease for that matter). Yet sadly, all of them are constantly “debunked” by so-called modern science and the FDA, however, dispite this somehow people still cure themselves of these “incurable” diseases without the aid of modern pharmaceuticals and toxic treatments (I cured myself of MS). A few effective natural treatments for cancer include: Laetrile or apricot seeds (though most seeds can be used), vitamin C therapy, cannabis oil, and vitamin B15 to only name a few.
Second, It isn’t me per say who is “claiming”, as you suggest, how vitamin B17 works, but rather what was found in research decades ago. And as you can imagine, this did not sit well with the billion dollar per year profit of the cancer business. Check out World Without Cancer
An insightful documentary about why the laetrile cover occurred can be found here (Though you may have to pay 4.99 to view it. Please keep in mind that in order to read many ground-breaking research papers, I often pay $25 or more!)
Here is a wonderful free video on youtube to understand the mechanism regarding How Laetrile Kills Cancer Cells
Much like vitamin B15 which has also been “debunked” as a cancer cure only to later be used as a so-called miracle cure in a new pharmaceutical drug as…a cancer cure. I actually wrote about this and you can find it HERE.
Here is an example of vitamin B17 to be aslo used in the same way (a drug) found HERE.
Personal story – my aunt used laetrile (along with lifestyle changes) when she found out she had uterine cancer about 17 years ago. Today she is cancer free.
I hope this help in your quest of finding answers!
Wishing you the best of health!
March 8, 2018 @ 1:08 pm
Dear Dr. Kmiec,
could you please answer Andrew’s question (posted below again) and provide scientific medical evidence “…that beta-glucosidase enzymes are only found or at least a significantly more amount is found in cancer cells? Also you claimed that rhodanese enzymes are absent or signigicantly less present in [[[or around…Hans]]] cancer cells…”
Thank you, Hans
I do have Griffin’s book World Without Cancer.
March 8, 2018 @ 4:59 pm
Hi Hans!
Actually, I did answer the question, perhaps you didn’t click on all the links but that’s okay! To answer your question specifically, I will copy/paste the video I posted in the post you are referring to.
“Here is a wonderful free video on youtube to understand the mechanism regarding How Laetrile Kills Cancer Cells”
Also, it seems you are interested in research proving the effectiveness of Laetrile/Amygdalin. So here are a few links that may help you in your research.
Amygdalin blocks bladder cancer cell growth in vitro by diminishing cyclin A and cdk2
Amygdalin induces apoptosis in human cervical cancer cell line HeLa cells
Amygdalin induces apoptosis through regulation of Bax and Bcl-2 expressions in human DU145 and LNCaP prostate cancer cells
But sadly, just like anything natural and holistic, the naysayers and skeptics (especially in the conventional medicine field) are quick to bury any health options (despite promising “research”) that aren’t pharmaceuticals or surgery.
As I also already mentioned, I do have a personal story regarding Laetrile, and I will copy/paste it again below.
“Personal story – my aunt used laetrile (along with lifestyle changes) when she found out she had uterine cancer about 17 years ago. Today she is STILL cancer-free.”
Hope this helps and wishing the best of health!
May 24, 2018 @ 1:48 am
Dr. Kmiec; It is so encouraging to read your articles. Our bodies are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made. Four years ago, I was diagnosed with malignant carcinoid tumors near the pancreas and in the mesentery. The tumors are inoperable and untreatable due to their locations. So, I visit my oncologist in three to six month intervals.
Last year, I read the book World Without Cancer and I believe nearly every word of it. So much so until I have been consuming 35 to 40 bitter apricot seeds a day for 8 months so far. I’ve also eliminated all refine sugar and land rover meats (I eat chicken, turkey, and seafood). I don’t know if my regiment is working or not but I do know that I feel a whole lot better. I go back for another “MRI” scan in Sep (BTW, I also put a halt to the CT Scans due to their high levels of radiation. Thanks again and my God bless you.
WC
June 11, 2018 @ 8:03 am
There has to be a part of the puzzle missing because Amygdalin works for lyme disease too, and other bacterial infections. It is the future of antibiotics. The system may realise this in 100 years. I have a feeling that MS/Alzheimers/Dementia are bacterial infections gone to the brain. According to Wiegman, the Neutrophils self-oxidize themselves without thiocyanate and behave like kamikaze pilots, when the should be Samauri. The lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-hydrogen peroxide system is active in the mouth and the mucous membranes of the lungs.
https://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/105180/SCN-Thiocyanate-Sulphur-Cyanide-Terrestrials-Ticket-out-of-the-Brine
When thiocyanate deficiency becomes chonic, the teeth are the first to go in some cases, and the brain goes next. This is why the NHS are banging on about tooth decay linked to Alzheimers.
https://www.nhs.uk/news/neurology/tooth-loss-link-to-increased-risk-of-dementia/
Yet ironically the mainstream news keep banging on about how Amygdalin is poison.