Foods High in Laetrile

Laetrile is a purified form of amygdalin, a natural compound found in many plants. There is also a synthetic form of amygdalin, which was patented as Laetrile in the United States in the 1950s. The terms Laetrile, laetrile and amygdalin are often used interchangeably despite the slight variations in the chemical composition. All three compounds contain laetrile, a purported anti-cancer agent that has been used worldwide to treat cancer since 1845.

Foods High in Laetrile

Laetrile is found in the pits or seeds of many fruits including apples, apricots, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches and plums. Apricot and peach pits and apple seeds are especially high in laetrile. Some other plants including millet, buckwheat, sorghum, lima beans, mung beans, clover and bamboo shoots also contain laetrile. Raw nuts such as almonds and macadamia nuts are additional rich sources of laetrile.

Benefits in Cancer Treatment

Laetrile is sometimes referred to as vitamin B17 and promoted as the missing vitamin in cancer patients. But the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, cautions that there is no evidence to suggest that laetrile is required for normal body function or that it functions as a vitamin in humans. Proponents touted laetrile as a cancer-preventing nutrient and an anti-cancer agent. However, the human trial sponsored by NCI in 1982 failed to demonstrate the benefit of laetrile in cancer treatment. Only one out of 175 patients enrolled in the study responded to laetrile, and all patients treated had cancer progression seven months after the therapy completed. You should consult with your physicians for the use of laetrile.

Toxicity

In the human body, laetrile is broken down into cyanide, a poison. Cyanide poisoning is the main concern for people taking laetrile or eating foods high in laetrile. In the NCI trial, two patients experienced cyanide toxicity while on laetrile treatment because they ate raw almonds, which contain laetrile. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning range from nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and headache in mild cases to mental confusion, dangerously low blood pressure, liver damage, coma and death in severe situations.

What You Should Do

More studies are necessary to determine the efficacy of laetrile in cancer prevention and treatment. At present, NCI, the American Cancer Society, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the International Union Against Cancer all caution against the use of laetrile due to the risk of cyanide poisoning. As with any toxin, dosage is an important factor. Overeating laetrile-containing foods increases the risk of cyanide toxicity. Also note that taking high doses of vitamin C or eating foods such as peaches, carrots, celery and bean sprouts may worsen the symptoms of cyanide poisoning and should be avoided when eating laetrile-containing foods.

Foods High in Laetrile