The following article covers B17 Vitamin Benefits.
Vitamin B17 is a semi-synthetic form of amygdalin, a nature-derived compound found in the pits of certain fruits, such as apricots, peaches, cherries, plums, and nectarines. B17 vitamin benefits include a variety of therapies for cancer and other conditions.
As a 2019 literature review on vitamin B17 studies points out, the human body hydrolyzes amygdalin into benzaldehyde, glucose, and cyanide. It’s the cyanide, curiously, which gives amygdalin its healing properties. Since cyanide can also hurt healthy cells, it’s critical that patients undergo vitamin B17 therapy under the direction of a medical doctor that specializes in integrative medicine.
Laboratories purify amygdalin, turning it into a substance called Laetrile®, which is what doctors often use in vitamin B17 therapy. The 2019 review noted several preclinical studies indicating that amygdalin demonstrated antitumor properties, causing cell death (apoptosis). This post will look at some of the benefits of B17 in treating various types of cancers and other disorders.
How Does Vitamin B17 Attack Cancer Cells?
A 2018 literature review of amygdalin studies took a deep look at the actual biochemical process that vitamin B17 uses to induce apoptosis. It found that amygdalin stimulates cell death by “upregulating expression of Bax ([a] proapoptotic protein) and caspase-3 and downregulating expression of Bcl-2 ([an] anti-apoptotic protein).” Additionally, it stops the cancer cell cycle in the G0/G1 phase, decreasing the number of cells that enter the S and G2/M phases, hence stopping cancer cells’ growth and the production of new cells. Those properties make vitamin B17 a promising choice for cancer patients pursuing an alternative cancer treatment for several types of cancer.
Liver Cancer
A recent study on the antitumor effects of vitamin B17-rich apricot extract and an amygdalin-containing fraction revealed amygdalin’s promise as a natural treatment option for liver cancer. The 2021 study conducted an in vitro examination of vitamin B17’s effect on DMBA-induced liver cancer in mice. The researchers found that amygdalin stimulates the apoptotic process by upregulating caspase-3 expression and downregulating Bcl-2 expression. In addition, amygdalin increased the mice’s antioxidant defense and reduced angiogenesis, the process cancer cells use to stimulate new blood vessel growth (angiogenesis), which in turn stimulates tumor growth. Together, these properties combine to give liver cancer patients a relatively non-toxic option to treat their condition. An earlier study found that adding zinc to a vitamin B17 regimen increased amygdalin’s anticancer effects on hepatocellular cancers (cancer that originates in the liver), presenting another holistic alternative to patients with the disease.
Pancreatic Cancer
With chemotherapy and surgery offering little hope at the advanced stages of pancreatic cancer, patients diagnosed with the disease often choose natural treatment options, either as an adjunct to traditional therapies or as a standalone treatment. A 2020 study on amygdalin’s effect on human pancreatic cancer cells revealed that the compound inhibited the growth of cancer cells relative to the dose administered and the timing of the doses. Using a mitochondria-dependent pathway, amygdalin induced cell death in the cancerous cells, making amygdalin-derived vitamin B17 an excellent candidate for integrative pancreatic cancer treatment.
Cervical Cancer
While most cervical cancers grow slowly, they can be deadly without early detection. Without regular Pap tests, women might not notice the presence of a tumor, given cervical tumors' lack of noticeable symptoms. A 2013 study on vitamin B17 examined the effectiveness of amygdalin in treating cervical cancer. This study, the first research specifically on cervical cancer, determined that amygdalin did indeed inhibit the growth and viability of human cervical cancer cells. As with studies conducted on other types of cancer cells, the amygdalin-treated cells showed a downgrade in an anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2) while increasing the amount of a proapoptotic protein (Bax). Whether as an adjunct treatment to traditional therapies or as a holistic alternative to them, vitamin B17 offers cervical cancer patients hope.
Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Drug resistance remains a challenge for doctors treating metastatic prostate cancer with the chemotherapeutic drug taxane. As a potent antitumor agent, amygdalin in the form of vitamin B17 presents a viable alternative to other therapies. A 2022 prostate cancer study found that amygdalin “inhibited tumor growth and reduced tumor clones” in all the prostate cancer cell lines the study covered, including taxane-resistant cells, thanks to its cell cycle-regulating properties. Patients looking for integrative cancer treatments for their taxane-resistant prostate cancer should consider vitamin B17 as either an alternative therapy or a complement to other treatments.
Bladder Cancer
Back in 2014, few studies on vitamin B17’s antitumor properties existed. A bladder cancer cell study conducted during that year on three bladder cancer cell lines revealed that amygdalin reduced both growth and proliferation in all the cell lines covered in the study. The study showed a positive correlation between the cdk2/cyclin A expression level and bladder tumor growth since amygdalin significantly reduced the cells’ cdk and cyclin protein components. Because those proteins drive the tumor growth process in bladder cancer cells, amygdalin shows great promise in treating bladder cancer naturally.
Other Conditions Vitamin B17 Therapy Can Treat
While vitamin B17 in the form of amygdalin is a powerful weapon in the battle against cancer, it has also demonstrated its effectiveness in treating three other conditions that continue to vex humanity. Patients who suffer from either of these conditions should look into vitamin B17 treatments as either a standalone treatment or a natural complement to conventional treatments. These conditions include:
Psoriasis
An autoimmune condition of the skin, psoriasis causes itchy, unsightly lesions that impact patients’ lives, causing them to be more susceptible to skin infections during severe episodes that often give rise to open sores. Conventional treatments include topical corticosteroids, retinoids, vitamin D3 analogs, and even highly toxic treatments with methotrexate. However, a 2013 study on vitamin B17’s effects on some of the biological drivers of psoriasis revealed that B17 in the form of amygdalin inhibits the cytokines and T-lymphocyte activation that trigger psoriasis.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure can lead to heart failure, strokes, kidney disease, sexual dysfunction, and vision loss. A 2011 study on the effects of vitamin B17-rich apricot seed kernels demonstrated that treatment with vitamin B17 reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in 72 patients between the ages of 40 to 65. The same study also examined the effect of vitamin C therapy in conjunction with vitamin B17 in one of the groups. The patients who received the added 1500 milligrams of vitamin C daily for 21 days showed an even more dramatic drop in their blood pressure, making a combination of these therapies an excellent candidate for a natural treatment for high blood pressure.
Acute Inflammatory Pain
Overuse injuries after vigorous exercise continue to plague professional athletes and “weekend warriors” alike. A 2008 study on acute inflammatory pain discovered that vitamin B17 derived from apricot seeds inhibited formalin-induced inflammation and pain in rats, making it a viable natural alternative to conventional analgesics.
Discover If Vitamin B17 Therapy Might Help You
If you have one of the conditions that this post discussed, vitamin B17 therapy might provide a natural alternative to traditional treatments. Brio-Medical offers a free consultation where you can discuss the benefits of vitamin B17 therapy to treat your malady.
External references:
“Laetrile/Amygdalin (PDQ®)–Patient Version.” National Cancer Institute,
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/laetrile-pdq
Třísková, Alžběta, and Jana Rudá-Kučerová. “Can Amygdalin Provide any Benefit in Integrative Anticancer Treatment?.” “Má amygdalin své místo v integrativní protinádorové léčbě?.” Klinicka onkologie : casopis Ceske a Slovenske onkologicke spolecnosti vol. 32,5 (2019): 360-366. doi:10.14735/amko2019360
Saleem, Mohammad et al. “Amygdalin from Apricot Kernels Induces Apoptosis and Causes Cell Cycle Arrest in Cancer Cells: An Updated Review.” Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry vol. 18,12 (2018): 1650-1655. doi:10.2174/1871520618666180105161136
Hosny, Samar et al. “Prunus Armeniaca L. Seed Extract and Its Amygdalin Containing Fraction Induced Mitochondrial-Mediated Apoptosis and Autophagy in Liver Carcinogenesis.” Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry vol. 21,5 (2021): 621-629. doi:10.2174/1871520620666200608124003
El-Desouky, Mohamed A et al. “Anticancer Effect of Amygdalin (Vitamin B-17) on Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Line (HepG2) in the Presence and Absence of Zinc.” Anti-cancer agents in medicinal chemistry vol. 20,4 (2020): 486-494. doi:10.2174/1871520620666200120095525
Aamazadeh, Fatemeh et al. “Bitter apricot ethanolic extract induces apoptosis through increasing expression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and caspase-3 in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells.” Molecular biology reports vol. 47,3 (2020): 1895-1904. doi:10.1007/s11033-020-05286-w
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Tsaur, Igor et al. “Amygdalin Exerts Antitumor Activity in Taxane-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells.” Cancers vol. 14,13 3111. 24 Jun. 2022, doi:10.3390/cancers14133111
Makarević, Jasmina et al. “Amygdalin blocks bladder cancer cell growth in vitro by diminishing cyclin A and cdk2.” PloS one vol. 9,8 e105590. 19 Aug. 2014, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0105590
Perez, Juan J. “Amygdalin analogs for the treatment of psoriasis.” Future medicinal chemistry vol. 5,7 (2013): 799-808. doi:10.4155/fmc.13.27
Salman Yass, Hanna’a. “Reduction of Blood Pressure by Using Apricot Seeds and Vitamin C.” Journal of Al-Ma’moon College issue 17 (2011): 165-170.
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