Medical Oncologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Apricot kernels, laetrile and other imported cancer claims: the real danger | CION Cancer Clinics
Laetrile, sold as vitamin B17, and bitter apricot kernels do not treat liver cancer. They were tested in people with cancer and did not work, and the body turns them into cyanide. This page explains why they can be dangerous with a weak liver, looks at other claims arriving from abroad, and shows how to check a message a relative has forwarded. At CION Cancer Clinics, our team supports patients and families through symptoms, follow-up and life during and after treatment.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed October 2026, next review due October 2027
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On this page
- Do apricot kernels or laetrile work against liver cancer?
- What else is sold from abroad as a cancer treatment?
- What families are told about B17, and what is actually true
- How can I check a claim a relative has sent me?
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about apricot kernels, laetrile and B17
The short answer
Do apricot kernels or laetrile work against liver cancer?
No, and they can be dangerous. Laetrile, also sold as amygdalin or "vitamin B17", has been tested in people with cancer and did not shrink tumours or help anyone live longer. Bitter apricot kernels contain the same substance, and the body turns it into cyanide, a poison.
It is not a vitamin
The name "vitamin B17" was a marketing choice. The body does not need amygdalin, nobody is short of it, and there is no such thing as a B17 deficiency causing cancer. The name makes it sound safe and natural, which is why people trust it.
Why it matters more with a sick liver
Someone with liver cancer or cirrhosis often has less reserve to cope with any poisoning, and may already feel tired, sick or muddled. That makes early signs of cyanide harm easy to miss. Taking kernels by mouth is the riskiest way, because gut bacteria release the cyanide.
This page covers primary liver cancer and cancer that has spread to the liver. If you are not sure which you have, the page on primary liver cancer explains the difference.
Other imported claims
What else is sold from abroad as a cancer treatment?
These arrive through websites, videos and relatives overseas. Each has been looked at, and none is proven to treat liver cancer.
Shark cartilage
Promoted on the idea that sharks do not get cancer, which is untrue. Trials in people with cancer found no benefit, and the capsules can upset the stomach and add to the tablets a weak liver has to handle.
High-dose vitamin C drips
Studied as an add-on to treatment, without clear benefit in liver cancer. It can harm people with G6PD deficiency or weak kidneys, so it must never be given without your oncologist knowing.
Herbal teas and mixtures
Branded tea blends and "anti-cancer" capsules are sold with patient stories rather than studies, often by people who have never examined the patient. Their contents are often unknown, and the liver must still process every one.
Clinics abroad
Some overseas clinics sell packages built on these products. They can cost a family its savings and the time in which a small liver cancer might have been treated with curative intent.
Common signs
- Payment demanded up front
- Testimonials instead of trials
- Advice to stop your current treatment
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistCommonly believed
What families are told about B17, and what is actually true
"It only poisons cancer cells and leaves healthy ones alone."
This was the original theory, and testing did not support it. The cyanide released does not choose its target. People in studies developed signs of cyanide poisoning.
"It is banned only because drug companies cannot sell it."
It was taken out of use because it was tested and failed, and because it caused harm. Cheap treatments that work, such as some old chemotherapy medicines, are used every day.
"Our ancestors ate apricot seeds, so they must be safe."
Sweet kernels used in cooking contain little amygdalin. Bitter kernels sold as cancer remedies contain much more, and eaten in quantity they have caused serious poisoning.
"If I take it with my treatment, there is nothing to lose."
There is. Cyanide harm adds to the strain on a weak liver, and high-dose vitamin C, often sold alongside it, may increase how much cyanide is released.
!
Signs of cyanide poisoning: go to hospital now
After apricot kernels or laetrile, a headache, dizziness, vomiting, breathlessness, a racing heart, confusion, fits or collapse can be cyanide poisoning. Go to the nearest emergency department straight away and take the packet with you. Confusion in someone with liver disease needs hospital today whatever the cause, as the page on confusion needing admission explains.
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Before you spend money
How can I check a claim a relative has sent me?
Ask for the study in people
Not cells, not mice, not stories. A real study names the patients' cancer, how many took part and what happened to them.
See who is selling it
If the person explaining the science is also taking your payment, treat the explanation with care.
Notice any pressure
Being told to stop your treatment, to decide quickly or to keep it from your doctor are warning signs. The guide to spotting a fraudulent claim lists more.
Show it to your oncologist
Forward the message or the link. Your doctor can tell you what is known about it and whether it could clash with your treatment.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you how much harm a product you have already taken has done. That depends on what was in it, how much you took and how well your liver and kidneys are working. If you have taken any of these, tell your oncologist, who may check your blood tests.
It cannot cover every product
New claims appear faster than anyone can study them. If a product is not named here, that does not mean it has been checked and found safe. The same questions in the steps above still apply.
Who this does not apply to
Eating a few sweet apricots, dried apricots or almonds as ordinary food is not what this page is about. The risk comes from bitter kernels, laetrile tablets and injections taken as a cancer treatment. CION does not offer or supply any of the products described here.
Feeling desperate enough to look for other options is understandable. A page on why delay matters explains what is at stake with time.Questions we are asked
Common questions about apricot kernels, laetrile and B17
Is laetrile the same as vitamin B17?
Yes. Laetrile, amygdalin and "vitamin B17" are names for closely related substances found in bitter apricot kernels and some other seeds. It is not a vitamin. The body does not need it, and lacking it does not cause cancer, whatever the seller's leaflet says.
Has laetrile ever been tested properly?
Yes. It was studied in people with cancer, and it did not shrink tumours, slow them or help people live longer. Some patients developed signs of cyanide poisoning. That is why cancer doctors and major cancer organisations do not recommend it.
How many apricot kernels are safe to eat?
Nobody can give you a safe number for bitter kernels taken as a remedy, because the amount of amygdalin varies a lot between batches. Children and people with liver disease are at higher risk. The safest answer for a person with liver cancer is not to take them as treatment at all.
Is laetrile safer as an injection?
Injections release less cyanide than kernels or tablets taken by mouth, but they still did not work in studies. They also add the risks of an unregulated injection from an unknown source, including infection. Lower risk of one harm is not the same as a benefit.
Can I take it alongside sorafenib or immunotherapy?
It is not advised. It offers no benefit, and it adds poisoning risk while your liver is already under strain from the cancer and the treatment. Tell your oncologist about anything you are taking, and read the page on interactions with cancer medicines.
A relative abroad is sending it. What should I say?
Thank them for wanting to help, because that is what it is. Then explain that your doctors need to know everything you take, and that this one has been tested and can be harmful. Asking them to join a call with your oncologist often settles it kindly.
I have already taken some. What should I do?
Stop taking it and tell your oncologist at your next contact, or sooner if you feel unwell. If you notice headache, dizziness, vomiting, breathlessness or confusion, go to an emergency department now and take the packet. Nobody will blame you for having tried.
What can actually help if treatment options feel limited?
Ask for a second opinion and a tumour board review, which may find options not yet discussed. Symptom care can ease pain, sickness and tiredness at any stage. The CION helpline can arrange a review of your scans and reports with an oncologist.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's liver cancer specialists. Bring your scan reports and liver blood tests.
Our medical and surgical oncologists plan liver cancer care together, weighing the tumour and how well your liver works before choosing surgery, a liver-directed procedure or medicines.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
- NCCIH — Using Dietary Supplements Wisely
- American Cancer Society — Understanding Integrative (Holistic) Medicine
- MedlinePlus — Herbal Medicine
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
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Spotting a fraudulent cancer claimQuick checks before you pay for anythingWhy delay costs the most in liver cancerWhat waiting can take awayCannabis and CBD oil for liver cancerAnother widely shared claim, looked at honestlyHow to tell your oncologist without being judgedWords to start the conversation
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Been sent a cancer remedy and not sure what to make of it?
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