It has long been rumored that “getting the maximum amount of vitamin B17 possible in a short period of time will cure cancer.” This is not just about prostate cancer, but other tumors as well. The most basic science can tell that this is a rumor, because there is no panacea for all diseases.
Vitamin B17 is not actually a B vitamin; its generic name is Amygdalin, which translates to bitter amygdalin, a compound of benzaldehyde and cyanide, a cyanogenic glycoside. One of the better known commercial products is Laetrile, a bitter amygdalin analogue.
The vast majority of studies have concluded that Laetrile and bitter amygdalin analogs have no anticancer effect.
A 2006 systematic review published in The Cochrane Library, the leading evidence-based medical database, concluded that “there is no evidence to support a benefit of Laetrile or bitter amygdalin for patients with cancer.
In 2015 they added that “there is no reliable clinical data to support the claim that Laetrile or bitter amygdalin is beneficial for patients with cancer. Cyanide poisoning with Laetrile or bitter amygdalin, especially after oral ingestion, can have serious adverse effects. Therefore, the risk-benefit balance of Laetrile or bitter amygdalin as a treatment for cancer is undoubtedly negative.”
So this type of substance is not a cancer-fighting miracle at all, let alone a cancer-busting puzzle. A number of professional organizations, including the FDA and the American Medical Association, also do not endorse Laetrile’s therapeutic effects.
In addition, excessive consumption of bitter amygdalin can cause cyanide poisoning, leading to “intracellular hypoxia” and central respiratory depression, which can eventually lead to death. In the United States, there have been many reported cases of cyanide poisoning from the consumption of bitter amygdalin-like substances. For safety reasons, Laetrile was banned in most US states in the 1960s, and Laetrile preparations have been mostly eliminated today.
Therefore, patients should not blindly use prescription treatments to avoid being victimized.