TikTok videos promoting the use of cyanide to tackle acne have sparked warnings from doctors.
Experts fear the bogus trend, which has racked up millions of views, may be deadly.
In one TikTok video, a young woman claims that she has been ‘secretly’ feeding her boyfriend seeds containing the poisonous chemical – and that it has cleared up his acne.
Meanwhile, another clip sees a woman claim her clear complexion might be down to her eating at least five apricot kernels as a child.
TikTok user Graceattakk, pictured, explains her clear skin is due to eating apricot kernels as a child. She goes on to warn others not to try this unusual skin care treatment themselves
Amygdalin — naturally found in apricot pips, cherry seeds and raw nuts — converts into cyanide once consumed.
In concentrated amounts it attacks the heart, respiratory system and central nervous system, and can kill a human in minutes.
Dr Neel Patel, of LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, said: ‘Generally, foods that contain cyanide tend to contain it in very low doses which are nothing to worry about.
‘For example, apple seeds contain small amounts of cyanide but whole seeds pass through the body without any problems. Even with crushed or chewed seeds, you’d need to eat at least 150 in one sitting to be at any risk.
‘However, you should be careful with apricot kernels.
‘These are the seeds inside the apricot stone. Usually you would need a pair of pliers to crack open the stone and extract them.’
The European Food Safety Authority cites apricot kernels as a cyanide poisoning risk.
Eating more than three kernels in one sitting can exceed the recommended safe level.
Dr Patel added: ‘This trend could be highly dangerous.
‘Long-term symptoms of cyanide poisoning include coma, high or low blood pressure, loss of consciousness, lung injury, seizures and even death.’
One TikTok video, which has more than 473,000 views and 80,000 likes, sees a woman explain her clear skin is due to eating apricot kernels as a child.
However, she does go on to warn others not to try this unusual skin care treatment themselves.
TikTok user Graceattakk, who posted the video, said: ‘One of the reasons my skin is so good now might have been because I consistently ate poison when I was child.’
She ate ‘five minimum’ a day when she was a child living in China and it wasn’t until she moved back to the US that she found out her habit was poisonous.
Other users report having ‘smoother’ skin after eating the kernels.
TikTok user queenseedadrianne claims she eats apricot seeds to help with her acne.
She told her followers: ‘My skin is way smoother than before and I am all in all just in a happier mood lately.’
The woman goes on to explain she started by eating three seeds a day before eating ten to give her ‘faster results’.
TikTok user queenseedadrianne , pictured, claims she eats apricot seeds to help with her acne. The young woman claims that she has been ‘secretly’ feeding her boyfriend seeds containing the poisonous chemical – and that it has cleared up his acne
Another video on TikTok posted by thectgirl claims the seeds can reduce wrinkles and prevent cancer.
The video which has more than 13,000 views, suggests a tribe in Pakistan eat the seeds and use the oil from the apricot seeds and ‘never get cancer’, it also adds the ‘women never wrinkle’.
The kernels are also referred to as a ‘secret superfood’ in some videos.
In a TikTok by superfoodsguy which has more than 250,000 views, it encourages people to not throw away the apricot pip but instead eat the seed inside.
He claims the seed is ‘packed with health benefits’ and are ‘super tasty’.
In a TikTok by superfoodsguy, pictured left, which has more than 250,000 views, it encourages people to not throw away the apricot pip but instead eat the seed inside. He claims the seed is ‘packed with health benefits’ and are ‘super tasty’
Some countries like Australia and New Zealand have banned the sale of raw apricot kernels due to the danger they pose, according to Food Standards.
Raw, unprocessed apricot kernels are also banned in the UK and should not be sold for human consumption unless the cyanide levels are below 20mg/kg, says The Food Standards Agency (FSA).
Apricot kernels are also used in Chinese medicine to treat coughs and to relieve constipation.
However, many websites selling these seeds as medicine do warn it should be used with caution and that eating too many can cause cyanide poisoning.
The Register of Chinese Herbal Medicine ‘strongly warns against the use of apricot kernels by the public’ because of its toxicity.
Alex Jacobs, head of the body, said: ‘I would warn against any consumption of bitter apricot kernel at any level that does not come from a properly trained practitioner.’
However, apricot kernels have been a popular complementary medicine since the 1970s as it is claimed they can stop cancers. However, this is not proven.
The TikTok skincare trend is not only extremely dangerous, but experts say it is a ‘myth’ that apricot kernels cure acne.
Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesman, said: ‘This is a myth and it is worrying to see this degree of misinformation on social media platforms.
‘It is dangerous and misleading.’
Instead, if someone does have acne, they should incorporate products containing benzoyl peroxide salicylic acid into their skincare routine, experts say.
Dr Mahto said: ‘If that doesn’t work, speak to their GP. The GP will discuss options and prescribe prescription topicals, antibiotics or the contraceptive pill.
‘If those options don’t work, they will be referred by their GP to a dermatologist to discuss further options.’
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