Comparing AI Takes on Amygdalin (Apricot Seed Cancer Treatment)
Amygdalin has been one of the most suppressed and inexpensive cancer treatments for decades. People can easily get it in their diet from apricot seeds or even apple seeds. I found it interesting that ChatGPT’s take on it has shifted quite a bit since last year, and today tried asking Bing and Google Bard and got a much wider range of recent studies than with ChatGPT.
Query: Tell me about every single study that showed a positive benefit to amygdalin.
ChatGPT 4.0 Response:
As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, there were no scientifically sound, peer-reviewed studies that demonstrated any significant benefit of amygdalin (also commonly known as laetrile or “vitamin B17”) in treating cancer or any other disease.
Amygdalin is a compound found naturally in the pits of many fruits, raw nuts, and other plants. It can convert into cyanide in the body, which has led to concerns about its potential toxicity. It has been promoted by some as an alternative treatment for cancer, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s, but scientific evidence supporting its efficacy is lacking.
The National Cancer Institute conducted a comprehensive review of past clinical trials involving laetrile and concluded that there was no evidence to suggest it had any benefits in cancer treatment. The American Cancer Society, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other prominent health organizations have also warned against the use of amygdalin for cancer treatment due to both a lack of efficacy and potential toxicity.
If any new research has been conducted after 2021 showing different results, I’d recommend checking the latest publications and guidelines from reputable health organizations and peer-reviewed scientific journals. It’s also always a good idea to discuss any potential treatments with your healthcare provider, as they will have the most current and relevant information tailored to your individual health situation.
ChatGPT 3.5 Response:
Amygdalin, also known as laetrile or vitamin B17, is a compound found in the seeds of apricots, apples, peaches, and other fruits. It has been promoted as an alternative cancer treatment, but its efficacy and safety have been widely debated. It is important to note that the vast majority of scientific studies have not shown any positive benefit to amygdalin in the treatment of cancer or other health conditions. While I can provide an overview of some studies that have reported positive outcomes, it is crucial to consider the broader scientific consensus and consult with medical professionals for accurate and evidence-based information.
1. Dean Burk Study (1977):
Dean Burk, a biochemist, conducted a study suggesting that amygdalin selectively targets and kills cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. However, his research has been criticized for lacking proper scientific rigor and failing to demonstrate significant positive effects of amygdalin.
2. Richardson Study (1980):
Dr. Maurice Richardson published a case report on a single patient with advanced cancer who received amygdalin treatment. The report claimed that the patient experienced tumor regression and improved overall health. However, this study lacked proper control groups, statistical analysis, and objective measurements, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.
3. Milazzo Study (2011):
This review article by Milazzo and colleagues aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of amygdalin for cancer treatment. The study analyzed various clinical trials and case reports, but the authors concluded that the available evidence was insufficient to support the use of amygdalin as a cancer treatment due to methodological limitations, inconsistent results, and potential risks.
It is worth noting that the above studies represent a small fraction of the existing scientific literature on amygdalin. The majority of well-conducted studies, including systematic reviews and meta-analyses, have not shown any significant positive effects of amygdalin in treating cancer or any other health condition. In fact, amygdalin can pose serious health risks, as it can be converted into hydrogen cyanide in the body, which is highly toxic.
It is essential to approach claims regarding amygdalin or any other alternative treatments with caution and rely on evidence-based information from reputable medical sources. Consultation with healthcare professionals is crucial for making informed decisions regarding cancer treatment or any health-related matters.
Bing Response:
I found a study on PubMed that reported that amygdalin had no benefit in 178 cancer patients¹. However, recent in vitro studies are promising and indicate that amygdalin has an oncopreventive effect, although this must be confirmed by in vivo studies and clinical trials¹.
Amygdalin has been reported to have antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-fibrotic, antiatherosclerosis, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and analgesic characteristics. It also has the ability to improve digestive and reproductive systems, neurodegeneration, and cardiac hypertrophy²⁴⁵.
It is important to note that amygdalin is not approved by the FDA for cancer treatment and can be toxic when taken orally or intravenously³.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 5/11/2023
(1) Can Amygdalin Provide any Benefit in Integrative Anticancer … – PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31610669/.
(2) Amygdalin: A Review on Its Characteristics, Antioxidant Potential …. https://doaj.org/article/f5a39effe168400dbbc31b4293e91496.
(3) Amygdalin: A Review on Its Characteristics, Antioxidant Potential …. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9599719/.
(4) Laetrile (Vitamin B17 or Amygdalin): Benefits, Myths and … – Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/laetrile-vitamin-b17.
(5) Scientifically Proven Benefits of Vitamin B17 (Amygdalin). https://www.organicfacts.net/vitamin-b17-amygdalin.html.
Google Bard Response:
There have been a number of studies that have shown a positive benefit to amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside found in apricot kernels, almonds, and other fruits and nuts. These studies have shown that amygdalin can induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells, inhibit tumor growth, and promote cell cycle arrest.
One study, published in the journal Cancer Research, found that amygdalin was able to induce apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. The study found that amygdalin was able to induce apoptosis in both sensitive and resistant cancer cells, and that it was more effective than the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.
Another study, published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, found that amygdalin was able to inhibit tumor growth in mice with pancreatic cancer. The study found that amygdalin was able to reduce tumor size by up to 50%, and that it was more effective than the chemotherapy drug gemcitabine.
A third study, published in the journal Apoptosis, found that amygdalin was able to promote cell cycle arrest in human leukemia cells. The study found that amygdalin was able to induce G0/G1 arrest in leukemia cells, and that it was more effective than the chemotherapy drug cytosine arabinoside.
These studies suggest that amygdalin may be a promising new treatment for cancer. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings and to determine the optimal dosage and administration schedule for amygdalin.
It is important to note that amygdalin is a cyanogenic glycoside, which means that it can release cyanide when it is broken down. Cyanide is a poison that can be fatal in high doses. Therefore, it is important to take amygdalin under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional.
Conclusions
Seeing Google’s response that this is a “promising new treatment” was a bit shocking. The obvious differences between these AI systems seems to either show the level of bias programmed in to the model regarding “authoritative sources” as something other than scientific findings, or that only Google systems actually have the best understanding of what science is actually out there based on their crawler engine being a little more integrated with scientific publications. Google Scholar search certainly shows a great number of articles not mentioned by the AI systems. Either way, it will be interesting to see how their responses to this query change over time.
Mike Waskosky
6 LikesRecommend0 recommendationsPublished in Health & Healing
I should also mention, these are the two videos I pass out to people on DVD on the subject:
https://rumble.com/v2og4xg-g.-edward-griffin-world-without-cancer-the-story-of-laetrile-1974.html
https://rumble.com/v2dgryu-the-science-and-politics-of-cancer-g-edward-griffin-2005.html
ChatGPT 4 with “Bing” Web Browsing:
“There have been numerous studies conducted on the effects of amygdalin, also known as laetrile or vitamin B17, with some showing potential benefits. A review of 110 papers regarding in vitro and in vivo studies on amygdalin suggested that this compound exhibited various pharmacological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunomodulatory, anti-atherosclerosis effects. It was also found to have potential benefits for the digestive system, reproductive system, neurodegeneration, myocardial hypertrophy, and blood glucose regulation. The toxicity of amygdalin was attributed to its decomposed products of benzaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, which were less toxic when administered intravenously compared to oral ingestion. This toxicity could potentially be avoided with an oral dose ranging from 0.6 to 1 g per day [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32114166/].
Specific studies conducted by the National Cancer Institute reported that amygdalin caused very few side effects at the prescribed doses when given by mouth or by IV. A phase II study with 175 patients looked at what types of cancer might benefit from treatment with amygdalin. Most of the patients in this study had breast, colon, or lung cancer. While cancer had grown in all patients 7 months after treatment ended, patients reported improved symptoms, such as the ability to work or do other activities during the treatment, though these improvements did not last after treatment ended [https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/laetrile-pdq].
Some research has indicated that amygdalin may have anti-cancer properties and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells. It has been shown to kill certain breast cancer cell lines and potentially prevent these cells from spreading throughout the body, without being toxic to healthy skin cells. When combined with an enzyme called beta-glucosidase (ß-glu), which enhances amygdalin activity, it led to the death of prostate cancer cells. While this treatment had some impact on heart and liver function, it did not appear to cause organ damage [https://www.verywellhealth.com/laetrile-amygdalin-89572].
However, it’s important to note that the evidence is not entirely conclusive. The studies conducted have not been clear about whether amygdalin could be more effective against certain types of cancer than others, and there is a need for more research to determine what role amygdalin might play in cancer treatment [https://www.verywellhealth.com/laetrile-amygdalin-89572].
Unfortunately, I encountered some difficulties in accessing certain sources, and therefore there might be additional studies on the benefits of amygdalin that I was not able to include in this summary. I recommend consulting databases like PubMed or clinicaltrials.gov for a more comprehensive list of studies on amygdalin.”