Editor’s Note: This article is Part 2 of a 3-part series on an incredible cancer-fighting compound known as laetrile, and first appeared in the April 2017 edition of the TTAC Insider’s newsletter.
In Part 1 we reviewed the historical theories about the causes of cancer, including a groundbreaking theory put forth in 1952 by Ernest Krebs, Jr., an American biochemist. Krebs proposed that cancer is caused by a deficiency of essential nutrients in our diet called nitrilosides, a compound found in over 1,200 edible plants including apricot, plum, and peach pits, apple seeds, bitter almonds, nuts, lima beans, and quince. Nitrilosides are also found in grasses, maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, linseed, and many other foods that are not consumed as part of the typical American diet.
The substance known as amygdalin or B-17 is a type of purified nitriloside that Krebs developed into a cancer treatment which he called Laetrile. In Part 2 we dive right into how Laetrile works to combat cancer, and some of the supporters and detractors of this controversial cancer therapy.
How Does Laetrile Fight Cancer?
Our blood contains millions of white blood cells known as natural killer (NK) cells, which are part of the immune system and whose job is to attack and destroy anything that is foreign and harmful to our bodies, including cancer cells.
However, cancer cells escape detection and killing by NK cells by presenting a “coat” of the patients’ own proteins on its cell surface. Such a coated cancer cell appears as “self” to the immune system and is not recognized as cancer. Enter Mother Nature’s solution…
As we saw in Part 1, nitrilosides are abundantly present in natural plant foods. Biochemist Ernst Krebs, Jr. purified a nitriloside known as amygdalin, a so-called “cyanogenic glucoside” – a compound that contains sugar and produces cyanide. In its concentrated and purified form that he developed especially for cancer therapy, it is known as Laetrile or laevo-mandelonitrile B-glucoside. Each molecule of amygdalin or Laetrile contains 2 units of sugar, one unit of benzaldehyde, and one of cyanide, all tightly bound together.
Incidentally, in the 1980s, Japanese scientists demonstrated that benzaldehyde is a non-toxic anti-cancer agent, along with being a powerful painkiller. Cyanide, on the other hand, can be highly toxic and even fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities. But here’s the interesting thing… when cyanide is locked chemically into a molecule of Laetrile, it is completely inactive and non-toxic and has no effect at all on living cells. Only one enzyme – known as beta-glucosidase – can unlock the Laetrile molecule, releasing one unit each of benzaldehyde and cyanide in the process.
Also of interest is that beta-glucosidase is only found to any significant extent in cancer cells, not in normal, non-cancerous cells. As a result, even if some Laetrile enters normal cells, nothing happens and the cells remain unharmed. However, when Laetrile enters cancer cells, it is enzymatically “unlocked” by beta-glucosidase and releases both poisonous cyanide and benzaldehyde – killing them.
While cyanide alone can be fatal, when cyanide is locked chemically into a molecule of Laetrile, it is completely inactive and non-toxic
The human body has an additional backup system to ensure our safety when we consume Laetrile or any other nitrilosides. Another enzyme known as rhodanase detoxifies any cyanide that is released within normal cells by converting it into byproducts, such as thiocyanates, that are harmless. Importantly, rhodanase is found in significant quantities in normal cells but not in cancer cells, which means any small quantities of released cyanide is non-toxic for normal cells.
In other words, cancer cells are much more susceptible to Laetrile and much less protected by rhodanese relative to non-cancerous cells. This intricate but powerful double-whammy mechanism seems to have been designed by nature to kill cancer cells while keeping us safe, naturally.
Proponents of Laetrile Therapy: Quacks or Distinguished Scientists?
The claims for the anti-cancer properties of Laetrile – despite being strongly disputed by the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a fraud – have plenty of high-profile, scientifically and medically credible supporters.
One of them is Dr. Hans Nieper, Director of the Department of Medicine at the Silversea Hospital in Hannover, Germany, and a world-renowned cancer specialist who served as the President of the German Society for Clinical Oncology. Dr. Nieper spent his entire career at the cutting edge of innovative, life-saving medicine and clinical research. He developed metabolic medicine as a successful non-toxic alternative to chemotherapy for treating cancer and other life-threatening chronic diseases. Dr. Nieper is a pioneer in the medical use of cobalt and is also credited with developing the anti-cancer drug cyclophosphamide.
Dr. Nieper’s book, The Curious Man, documents his successful treatment of over 3,000 American patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), as well as his remarkable success in achieving cancer remissions in many cancer patients, including Alicia Buttons, wife of the comedian Red Buttons.
It is a little-known fact that Dr. Nieper was employed at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and worked closely with Robert A. Good, MD, President of Sloan-Kettering Institute; Lloyd J. Old, MD, Vice-President; Dr. Chester Stock, another Vice-President; and the President of the overall corporation, Lewis Thomas, MD.
The biochemist and cancer researcher Dr. Dean Burk was another outspoken proponent of Laetrile. Dr. Burk was chief of cytochemistry at the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) laboratory and published more than 250 scientific articles during his long and distinguished scientific career. These are just a few of Dr. Burk’s accomplishments:
- He received the Hildebrand Prize in 1952 for his work on photosynthesis, the process by which plants make starch and sugar from air and water with the aid of sunlight.
- He won the Gerhard Domagk Prize in 1965 for his development of procedures to distinguish between a normal and cancerous cell.
- He co-developed the prototype of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) scanner, an imaging device frequently used in medicine instead of X-rays.
- He was also a co-discoverer of biotin, one of the B-complex vitamins.
Based on his own research findings, Dr. Burk reported that Laetrile had no effect on normal cells, but released so much cyanide and benzaldehyde when it came into contact with cancer cells that none of them survived. He stated: “When we add Laetrile to a cancer culture under a microscope, we can see the cancer cells dying off like flies.”
Next on this list of laetrile supporters is Dr. Kanematsu Sugiura, a distinguished research scientist who spent most of his career as a committed research scientist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Dr. Sugiura wrote more than 250 scientific papers and received numerous awards, including the Leonard Prize of the Roentgen Society for his work on radiation biology. In 1965, the Japan Medical Association presented him with their highest award for his outstanding contributions to cancer research. In 1966, the New York city mayor and the New York County Medical Society recognized him for his cultural services and his contributions to the field of medicine.
Dr. Sugiura worked directly on Laetrile at Sloan-Kettering. As reported by Dr. Ralph W. Moss in his seminal book, “Doctored Results: The Suppression of Laetrile at Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research,” Dr. Sugiura’s meticulous research on mice clearly showed that cancer cells in their bodies stopped growing for many weeks when exposed to Laetrile. Mice that only received saline (salt) solution went on to develop metastatic cancer in their lungs 80-90% of the time, as opposed to Laetrile-treated animals which showed metastases 10-20% of the time.
Other well-known supporters of Laetrile include:
- Dr. N.R. Bouziane, MD, Director of the Research Laboratories at Hôpital Ste Jeanne d’Arc in Montreal and member of the Hospital’s Tumor Board in charge of chemotherapy.
- Dr. Manuel Navarro, MD, Professor of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila, the Philippines, and an internationally renowned cancer researcher.
- Dr. Ernesto Contreras, MD, Director of the Oasis of Hope Cancer Clinic in Tijuana, Mexico. He received his postgraduate training at Harvard’s Children’s Hospital in Boston and served as Professor of Histology and Pathology at the Mexican Army Medical School and as the Chief Pathologist at the Army Hospital in Mexico City.
Dr. Francisco Contreras shared how his father Ernesto learned of Laetrile and how the Oasis of Hope clinic started offering Laetrile therapy in Episode 8 of TTAC’s “The Quest For The Cures Continues” docu-series
The unwavering support of these esteemed scientists and clinicians lends considerable credibility to the trophoblastic thesis of cancer – which states that deficiency of nitrilosides in our modern diet is the underlying cause of the modern cancer epidemic – and to Laetrile’s critical role in its treatment and cure.
In fact, medical and research professionals from more than 20 countries including the U.S., vouch for Laetrile. They have all reported that the majority of their patients experienced an immediate lowering of blood pressure, improved appetite, increased hemoglobin and red blood cell counts, and above all, a release from pain without narcotics. If Laetrile treatment was started early enough, their cancer disappeared and they recovered. Even if a patient did begin Laetrile therapy when it was too late to be saved, the relief from pain they experienced was a merciful blessing to them and their families as they passed.
If Laetrile Is So Effective, Why Aren’t Doctors Using It Today?
If indeed Laetrile is so spectacularly effective and safe, why don’t we hear more about it in the news? Why aren’t people given the option of being treated with Laetrile when they are diagnosed with cancer?
The short answer is… because Laetrile does NOT have the approval and support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Cancer Society (ACC), and the American Medical Association (AMA), who have all publicly labeled it as fraud and its proponents as “quacks.”
In fact, the FDA, and other agencies have used every means at their disposal to prevent this story from being told. They’ve arrested citizens for holding public meetings to tell others of their convictions on this matter. They’ve confiscated films and books. Doctors using Laetrile were arrested, their medical licenses revoked, and their patient records and medical supplies confiscated – even though they had achieved remarkable success. Even U.S. citizens who purchased Laetrile in Mexico and brought it back home for their own treatment were arrested for bringing an “illegal drug” across the border.
The evidence is conclusive. Laetrile can prevent the growth and even invasion of many different types of cancer cells in culture. But what about in actual patients? Next week we’ll look at five actual human case studies demonstrating the effectiveness of Laetrile and delve into the cover-up of this therapy by the American medical establishment. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion!
Article Summary
Amygdalin, or B-17, is a type of purified nitriloside which was developed into a cancer treatment called Laetrile.
Laetrile contains 2 units of sugar, one unit of benzaldehyde, and one of cyanide, all tightly bound together.
When cyanide is locked chemically into a molecule of Laetrile, it is completely inactive and non-toxic.
Beta-glucosidase – which is only found significantly in cancer cells – can unlock the Laetrile molecule.
Medical and research professionals found that if Laetrile treatment was started early enough, cancer disappeared and patients recovered.
The FDA and other agencies have gone to great lengths to silence proponents of Laetrile, despite their remarkable success.
I have had rectal cancer since my diagnosis in 2013. I was rushed into both radiation and chemotherapy so fast I didn’t have time to think. Afterwards they were anxious for me to undergo surgery to remove the rectum and install a colostomy bag. By this time I had watched TTAC and learned about more natural methods of actually curing this terrible disease so I refused to take the surgery. I tried almost every method of treatment recommended for treatment. Juicing fresh carrots, beets, etc. as well as Optimaxx and organic flax seed oil blended with cottage cheese. I also added laetrile – the purest and most potent I could buy. I am presently in hospital after having major surgery and a colostomy. They tell me the cancer has spread to my lungs and other organs and give me a maximum of 5 years to live, if I’m lucky. I am on a small pension and cannot afford expensive treatments. PLEASE give me some advice on how to treat this and live a little longer.
Hi Joe,
We are sorry to hear what you are going through. The best advice we can give you is to consult with one of the doctors/experts that we interviewed in our Global Quest Series. Here is a link to get their information: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/experts-info-sheet/
Ty & Charlene
info@thetruthaboutcancer.com
There is a website called cancertutor.com which has loads of proven anti-cancer protocols which were developed for situations such as this with a limited budget. The ‘Dirt Cheap Protocol’ is a good starting point.
Dear Joe,
It sounds like you have tried so many things to no avail. Have you heard of Dr. Henry Wright? He wrote the book, A More Excellent Way. He systematically examines the spiritual roots of diseases. Thousands attend his weeklong class every year in Thomaston, Georgia. I went there and was healed of tachycardia. No more beta blockers. I came to understand that the spiritual root was fear, which i would have sworn I didn’t have. I have prayed for you. God bless your journey.
I recommend vitamin c powder and food sodium. 10 grams/day. Put them in a large glass of water 5 grams each and let react (it builds a neutral salt of vitami c -ascorbate). The cancer cell eats it because vitamin c resambles sugar. However the mixture kills it by causing a fenton reaction. Also eat dandelion root and drink dandelion tea. The antibiotic doxocyclin is also efficient against cancer, take a strong 3 months cure combined vith the vitamin c mentioned above (ascorbate). Lycine is said to kill cancer, consider it also.
Good luck.
Dear Joe, I saw your comment and thought, Oh my, there is a lot that might help him on this latest series that is running now The Global Quest TTAC that seems to have more data than the original series. Curcumin/turmeric (lots of it! and apples or strawberries to eat up the heavy metals it can contain) and also Essiac tea every day! Oh and frankincense oil used every two hours (The Global Quest documents a woman who had a very bad brain stem tumor who put one drop on her tongue and raised her tongue to the roof of her mouth and did that every two hours for months (along with good diet) and no more tumor and no more cancer!
Any frankincense? How long to leave tongue up?
Thanks
I began using apricot seeds about 5 months ago. My blood pressure averaged 145/95 but often spiked 15-20 points above this but rarely lower. after the first month of using apricot seeds, my blood pressure came down an average of 15 points. I have sometimes seen it at 105/60.
So I decided to test this since some may claim it has been anecdotal or a lifestyle change. I stopped taking the seeds for three weeks and my blood pressure returned to the 145/95 range until 10 days after I renewed the seeds. My BP is once again in the 120/70 range.
This is amazing since I have battled “high” BP for over 20 years. Doctors I knew warned my of the danger of not treating my BP with a prescription of their choice.
I have noticed that I breathe more freely as well.
Where did you purchase the Apricot seeds/ Laetrile?
Dear Mr. Nair,
Your article is very interesting and I am left wondering if it is then a good idea for people to include nitriloside containing foods in our diets on a regular basis, as implied at the beginning of the article? If one eats an apple a day and the seeds within it, would it be a good cancer preventive or is there something about the formulation of Laetrile that renders the cyanide harmless to normal cells where it normally might not be good for you?
Among other natural & alternative home remedies or therapies, I have only recently begun eating Plums, Peaches, and Nectarines and am noticing good results. Will very soon start eating Baby & Large Lima Beans.
I believe the b17 is in the kernel of the pit, not the fruit itself.
Vitamin B-15 is associated in the apricot fruit the experts say.
Eating the pits from the seeds of apricots is the beneficial part of the fruit itself for cancer care or prevention. If you will watch animals such as squirrels etc they often rip the fruit away & go for the seed that they will crack open to get to the pit. They automatically know what is good for their bodies unlike us. I am a cancer survivor using Laetrile some 50 yrs ago & have nothing but good to say about it. I was given 6 mths to live here in the states & no hope but Dr Contreras (Ernesto) treated me with excellent results that were quick. I had liver & pancreas damage from some radiation I took that only spread mine & I later found out that I was poisoned by the overuse of it. When I got to TJ for the Laetrile treatment my blood was 1 stage above going into lymphoblastic leukemia. I took B-15 shots to build the blood & Laetrile for the cancer along with liver shots that I wouldn’t wish on Satan himself. What most ppl don’t understand is that there is a very strict nutrient diet that goes with this treatment though & is so important to follow. Having a great relationship with the Lord helps a lot as well. I found a nurse in our area who was given a death sentence & he got apricot pits & changed his diet & ate them daily to combat his cancer & he beat it as well with NO conventional treatments. IT does work but there has to be the strict diet with it in order for it to work properly & efficiently.
Are you familiar with the strict diet your friend followed with the B-17 treatment? My boyfriend has colorectal cancer and booked for surgery (stage 4 as it metastasized to his liver) and he has been eating Apricot pits but just an organic diet so would be interested in knowing what the diet associated with it is?
Appreciate your assistance if possible.
What about IV-C (raw vitamin C). Can vitamin C orally help without using the IV method ?
Ever since my Mom was diagnosed with lung cancer I eat 7 apricot seeds everyday. I got them for her but she thought I was nuts trying to turn back cancer with foods and herbs. Unfortunately today she is no longer with us, the traditional cancer treatments killed her at a young age of 79.
can i eat apricot kernals raw or will the cyanide poison me.
I have eaten aprox 9 apricot pips every day for three years as a preventative to cancer. My husband has eaten many more than that during the same period as one of his Natural protocols for stage 4 tonsil cancer. He had surgery but declined radio/chemo treatment. He has never looked or felt better.
I eat 9 a day. Three at each meal. I’ve been doing it for close to two years. I’m still here dealing with issues. however I will continue to eat them every dveay.
I have been eating Aapricot Kernals raw for serveral months and I have not been poisoned. I eat around 15 to 30 a day.
Yea, you can eat and no, they will not poison you. I have been on apricot seeds for 3 years and feel fine
My identical twin sister pat was diagnosed with colon rectal cancer 3 yrs ago it has now gone to lungs I have bought Cannabis oil as they say it can help could you suggest anything that I could help her with she’s off chemotherapy. For 2 months. Thank you
I have read a great deal about the cancer fighting properties of laetrile, and it would seem that most proponents of natural and alternative cancer therapies seem agree on its safety and cancer fighting properties. There is, however, one surprising, alternative leaning MD who has written on a number of occasions warning against its use – namely Dr Keith Scott-Mumby MD., Ph.D. In the light of Dr Scott-Mumby’s acceptance and support for many other natural and/or alternative cancer therapies, I am concerned by his comment to the effect that laetrile is a form of chemotherapy and, presumably, shares chemotherapy’s effectiveness and risk profiles. I would be most interested to hear Dr Nair’s response on Dr Scott-Mumby’s views on this subject.
in one of the videos it says that absolutely NO SUGAR is to be eaten as cancer LOVES it and it keeps cancer alive. and yet it is stated that sugar is part of the above mentioned product. please explain how this is beneficial and they the disconnect in what is being told her.
If you read it, as I understand it, the cancer cells see it as sugar and so take in the cyanide which kills it. Like poisoning rodents with poisoned food.
The knowledge that vitamin b17 kills cancer cells is not news. I first learned about it read a book “a world without cancer” by Edward griffin. Over 25 years ago. I would suggest picking up the book and learning more about vitamin b17 and the constant suppression of its powers by the powers in charge.
Thankyou so so much for making this available so so can pass on and help you save lives
Victoria,
Thanks for reading the article! We are glad you are part of our mission.
Can we take Laetrile as a daily supplement to prevent cancer? And if so where can we get it ?
These articles by TTAC are great, in making us aware of the many natural alternatives. The one missing component (and I feel crucial component) is a health professional of some kind, who can administer protocols for each specific patient – These natural cancer preventions and cancer treatments, like anything else, are not a “one size fits all” – there needs to be someone behind this information who can prescribe dose, frequency, and duration. Otherwise we have people spending large amounts of their income on various supplements and perhaps without the results they are looking for. Perhaps a more intelligent strategy can be rolled out by TTAC for treatment rather than selling copious amounts of various supplements. ( as much as I am thrilled that we even have these articles at this point).
Hi J.B.,
We do have a list of experts from our Global Quest series. Here it is: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/experts-info-sheet/
I have been taking Novodalin (B17) for 4 years …I have breast cancer. I take 500 mg. 2x a day.
Is this too little or too much?
Jw
Where do u get the seeds …. or fruit ????
Organic apricot seed. You can order it online or ask healthfood store to get it for you.
So I’m still a little confused. Laetrile is a synthetic compound made with or from Vit B17? Why is Laetrile illegal here, but B17 is not? When they say it kills cancer cells, are they talking the cancer stem cells too? Or is that mainly what they mean when they say it kills cancer cells? Inquiring minds want to know!
I clicked on the first link you had for Leigh Erin Connealy and it took me to a website that has no domain.
Newport Natural Health are Leigh Erin Connealy’s supplements
where do i get aapricot kernals raw???? my sister has diagnoised with aml cancer, and not doing well at the moment, they are giving her months to live i would like her try this natural stuff but i don’t know where to gert it?
thanks for the help
nancy
I get my apricot seeds from apricotsfromgod.com. They have the strongest amygdalin (B17) content of most all brands and good prices too. They have other products such as purified B17 and DMSO, etc. Also, they have tons of info and testimonials with real names and email addresses. Hope your sister can be helped! She needs to start slowly with the apricot seeds and eat them with other food (not on an empty stomach) and either chewed super well (They’re not very good tasting, however) or well blended as in a smoothie. People eat from 5-7 per day for prevention and from 15- 40 or more per day for battling cancer.
Thank you for your help. One more tool is always good.
Edgar Cayce said two almonds a day and you will never have cancer. I am assuming he meant bitter almonds and he always said to masticate well all nuts. I would believe a person would have to stop the intake of the cancer causing substance, then consume a diet rich in nutrients, that would react in an alkaline manner. I believe all the pits of the almond family have the cyanide to kill the cancers….that is peach, nectarine,apricot and bitter almond. I am not a doctor, but I do have common sense…..when my dog killed a rabid skunk and came down with rabies, I cured him with 500 ppm colloidal silver, 7 drops on his food for three days. When I was bitten by a recluse spider on the back of my neck, I used massive doses of echinacea tincture for 7 days to neutralize the poison. Take my advice with the proverbial grain of sand.
I was given B17 in Mexico. Whenever I take it, I get uncontrollable diarrhea. Without being graphic, I just can’t deal with the “mess.” What can I do about that?
how can i cure prostrate cancer. i was diagnosed with a PSA level of 4 and they wanted take a biopsy which i said no. I went to a clinic in Mexico called Sanoviv which was amazing place but three months later my PSA test is still 4.5. has anyone any other recommendations to change my numbers. just purchased a juicer and started juicing and i usually eat healthy except for the once and a while desert.
thank you
Peter
I have heard paw paw supplement is helpful with prostate.
For a program you can use as much or little as you like, I highly recommend the best selling book “Chris Beat Cancer.” Chris Wark cured himself of colon cancer and his book (you could also get his online video course) provides substantial research and protocols many have used to cure a vast number of cancers. Chris Wark also has expert medical and science research and recovered cancer patient interviews on YouTube that are insightful and informative. It requires diligence to change at least some aspects of your lifestyle but with far better long term results than drugs have proven historically.
Read the book: The China Study if you haven’t already.
Back in the early 80’s, I recall Laetrile being suppressed by FDA and others. I did not know why and I did not know really anything about it. Now I know exactly how it works that that it does work. Is is legal now? It should be as should any treatment that a patient wants.
So many videos and content to go thru. Is there like a cheatsheet of protocols with rough estimates of success rate in treating cancer? Thanks
I had throat cancer over five years ago. I took radiation I though it to be a cure but when it was done I was told the cancer was gone but it would come back. I’ve been taking 2 k mg of laetrile per day,as a preventive. I got that amount from one of the Mexican Dr.s they say that’s the most the body can take up in a day. So now my gut is partly blocked so I’ve got to go have that checked out.
I always enjoy your content .Thanks for the good work you have done a lot of good for man kind.
God bless you .