A natural compound found in bitter apricot kernels, bitter almonds, peach pits, apple seeds, and cassava root. Marketed since the 1950s as 'Vitamin B17' and as a cancer cure called laetrile — neither claim has held up. Amygdalin is not a vitamin. The body breaks it down into hydrogen cyanide, the same compound used as a poison, and people have died from it. Use caution.

Found naturally in bitter apricot kernels, bitter almonds, peach pits, apple seeds, and cassava root
Sweet apricot kernels (the kind used in marzipan and amaretto) contain much less amygdalin and are not the same safety concern as bitter kernels
Apple seeds also contain amygdalin but in small amounts — chewing seeds from one or two apples isn't dangerous
'Vitamin B17' is a marketing name from the 1950s — never an officially recognized vitamin
The body breaks amygdalin down into hydrogen cyanide as one of its metabolites

Eating bitter apricot kernels in any meaningful quantity is genuinely dangerous — children have died from eating 5 to 10 kernels

The European Food Safety Authority recommends no more than 1 to 2 bitter kernels per day for adults, and zero for children

Cyanide poisoning symptoms come on fast: headache, dizziness, confusion, anxiety, rapid breathing, then loss of consciousness — this is a medical emergency

Laetrile (a semi-synthetic form of amygdalin sold as cancer treatment) has caused documented deaths

The FDA banned laetrile from interstate commerce in 1979 after Supreme Court ruling — supply has continued through unregulated channels

Cancer treatment claims for laetrile have been investigated and rejected by the National Cancer Institute, the FDA, and major medical bodies — credible reference works do not support these claims

Cassava root must be processed (soaked, fermented, cooked) before eating to remove its amygdalin content — improperly prepared cassava has caused poisoning outbreaks in parts of Africa

Apricot kernel oil for skincare does not contain meaningful amygdalin and is a different product entirely

Vitamin C taken alongside amygdalin can increase cyanide release — a particularly dangerous combination

If someone is using laetrile or high-dose bitter kernels, signs of toxicity include persistent headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, and the smell of bitter almonds on the breath

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Amygdalin (sometimes sold as 'Vitamin B17' or 'Laetrile')