B17 is helping brain cancer

Hi

I'm a bit confused as to whether Apricot seeds are good or not good as I've read on cancer research UK, watchdog and the BBC that they are poisonous any more than 2 a day!!!  Due to the cyanide in them.  Here is the article.  it really worried me as I was going to get a load for my mum who has a malignant astrocytoma that's inoperable .....  and I see some of you are thinking about getting them or are already using them ....  what's everyone's consensus on this?

Clare

Here is the article:

Apricot stones sold for health benefits could be fatal in high doses, the food safety watchdog has warned.

Apricot kernels are thought to contain high levels of vitamin B17, which is described as an immune system booster and even sold as a cancer treatment.

But the Food Standards Agency said they also produce cyanide and can be poisonous in high doses.

It is now recommending that people consume no more than two bitter apricot kernels in a single day.

An FSA spokesman said there were reports from overseas of "very serious health effects" being associated with the consumption of 20 to 30 kernels in a short period of time.

He added: "They could be potentially lethal in high enough doses."

Natural food retailer Julian Graves was selling packs with a recommended daily dose of 10 kernels and has since pulled them from its shelves.

It said it had begun selling the apricot kernels due to customer demand and would do so again with a revised recommended dosage if the food watchdog gave it permission.

The seeds however are also available through specialist websites.

Cancer Research UK says of vitamin B17: "According to claims made on the Internet, this substance found in apricot pips is a highly active compound that can cure cancer.

"Unfortunately this is simply not true. The whole reason for the existence of Cancer Research UK is to find cures for cancers.

"If simply eating apricot seeds could cure cancer, no one would be more delighted than us."

In response to political pressure, the National Cancer Institute did two studies involving Laetrile. The first was a retrospective analysis of patients treated with Laetrile. Letters were written to 385,000 physicians in the United States as well as 70,000 other health professionals requesting case reports of cancer patients who were thought to have benefited from using Laetrile. In addition, the various pro-Laetrile groups were asked to provide information concerning any such patients.  Although it had been estimated that at least 70,000 Americans had used Laetrile—only 93 cases were submitted for evaluation.  Wonder why??   The reviewers concluded that "the results allow no definite conclusions supporting the anti-cancer activity of Laetrile."

In July 1980, the NCI undertook clinical trials of 178 cancer patients who received Laetrile, vitamins and enzymes at the Mayo Clinic and three other prominent cancer centers.   The results of the trial were clear-cut. Not one patient was cured or even stabilized. The median survival rate was 4.8 months from the start of therapy, and in those still alive after seven months, tumor size had increased. This was the expected result for patients receiving no treatment at all. In addition, several patients experienced symptoms of cyanide toxicity or had blood levels of cyanide approaching the lethal range.

So, the notion that B17 was banned because it helped people seems a little ridiculous and paranoid.  Doesnt this seem more logical:   it was banned because when held to scientific scrutiny it was proven to offer no benefit and in fact it potentially caused harm.

On 4/1/2008 clarejoanne wrote:

Hi

I'm a bit confused as to whether Apricot seeds are good or not good as I've read on cancer research UK, watchdog and the BBC that they are poisonous any more than 2 a day!!!  Due to the cyanide in them.  Here is the article.  it really worried me as I was going to get a load for my mum who has a malignant astrocytoma that's inoperable .....  and I see some of you are thinking about getting them or are already using them ....  what's everyone's consensus on this?

Clare

Here is the article:

Apricot stones sold for health benefits could be fatal in high doses, the food safety watchdog has warned.

Apricot kernels are thought to contain high levels of vitamin B17, which is described as an immune system booster and even sold as a cancer treatment.

But the Food Standards Agency said they also produce cyanide and can be poisonous in high doses.

It is now recommending that people consume no more than two bitter apricot kernels in a single day.

An FSA spokesman said there were reports from overseas of "very serious health effects" being associated with the consumption of 20 to 30 kernels in a short period of time.

He added: "They could be potentially lethal in high enough doses."

If simply eating apricot seeds could cure cancer, no one would be more delighted than us Cancer Research UK

Natural food retailer Julian Graves was selling packs with a recommended daily dose of 10 kernels and has since pulled them from its shelves.

It said it had begun selling the apricot kernels due to customer demand and would do so again with a revised recommended dosage if the food watchdog gave it permission.

The seeds however are also available through specialist websites.

Cancer Research UK says of vitamin B17: "According to claims made on the Internet, this substance found in apricot pips is a highly active compound that can cure cancer.

"Unfortunately this is simply not true. The whole reason for the existence of Cancer Research UK is to find cures for cancers.

"If simply eating apricot seeds could cure cancer, no one would be more delighted than us."

Well owing to the facts here, all seem to contradict each other, health boards dieticiansthe whole lot,I'd be concerned if someone wanted to blast me with RADIATION, AND I HAVE ASTROCYTOMA, grade two,in my frontal lobe. If UK doctors were friendly, they'd assist in many ways, yet in the last 2.5 years post and pre operation not one suggested a change in diet,or have checked my immune system for deficencies.When you have something like a brain tumor,its not quite like having a growth on your toe, or in your belly. Where it could be reached with ease. I currently have changed diet,and crucially am trying to plus happiness to my life. I take 25-30 apricot seeds, thats 6-7, 4 times a day chewed very slowly before food, say 20 mins.I've been also taking Essiac tea 100mls three times a day. zinc capsules 2x150mg. Shark cartlige capsules 4x650mg b12 2x1000mg vit c 4 x1500mg, kelp 4x225 mg. cats-claw 4x300mg milk thistle 4x175mg. Three table spoons of milled flax seed with cereals, this contains B17 too lots of fruit and fresh veg no mmeat or dairy or sugar quite a lot of green tea, no black no coffee. Been doing this for three months, and still alive,, my seizures not so strong... My tumor is in frontal lobe 4.2cms.. hope that this may shrink the little devil, by next scan... although there is a question mark that b17 needs to pass the brains blood barrier, DMSO may do this and can be found in garlic, aparently tumors hate garlic and a clean body..try to be happy and laugh alot.. hard to do.. but needed.. good luck from Mark 

Congrats! Just wondering how your dad is doing now...my mom started apricot seeds about 3 weeks ago and her ovarian cancer marker CA-125 is down. But I am a bit confused about the dosage. One source said 30 seeds for her weight and another said 10-15 was fatal. How many did your dad take?

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