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Taken in excess, these seeds may produce symptoms of cyanide poisoning, including headaches, nausea, fever, rash, insomnia, weakness, increased thirst, nervousness, lethargy, various aches and pains in muscles and joints, and a drop in blood pressure.
This may happen because when amygdalin is consumed, it converts to cyanide in the body, which is a fast-acting, potentially deadly chemical. Some studies suggest that 0.5-3.5 milligrams of cyanide per kilogram of body weight can be potentially lethal.
More importantly, cyanide prevents the cells in the human body from using oxygen, which kills them but this mechanism also kills the cancer cells.
It is considered that eating 50-60 apricot seeds would deliver a lethal dose of cyanide. Moreover, pregnant or breastfeeding women should not consume these seeds. Also, according to EFSA – the European Food Safety Authority, these seeds are dangerous for children. *
