Have the efficacy of sesame extract dietary supplements in treating cancer been clinically proven? No, that's not true: The National Cancer Institute of Thailand has cautioned that conclusive clinical research evidence is lacking to confirm such substances can treat cancer in humans. According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations, this product is registered as a dietary supplement and cannot be advertised as having the capacity to treat major health conditions, including cancer.
The claim appeared in numerous videos on TikTok, such as here (archived here) and here (archived here). Both were published by TikTok account @may0971989263, which promotes a sesamin supplement called Aimmura. The first video's caption (translated from Thai into English by Lead Stories staff) read:
Only two days left. Fortunately, she found sesamin (in time)
The woman in the video said (as translated):
Before, my father wouldn't let me take any supplements or medication at all. Until I became very ill, couldn't breathe, and the doctor said I wouldn't survive. Maybe I had only 2 days left. How would my father decide? The doctor said I needed a tracheostomy to help me breathe, otherwise, I wouldn't make it for sure.
Later in the video, the host introduces Professor Pratchaya, a researcher who investigated sesamin extract, which has become a crucial component of Aimmura's sesamin product. He said (as translated):
Her father asked me for help because his daughter had a serious type of cancer. I replied, 'Only miracles can help. However, I have some interesting research. I suggested we should try it out.' Then he suggested to him where to buy Aimmura's products.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Fri Mar 22 15:55:39 2024 UTC)
In the comments section, a viewer asked, "This clip is old. I would like to know if the person is still alive." The creator of the clip responded (as translated):
Currently, Nong Pui [the name of the woman] is alive. She now has two children.
Another viewer asked for suggestions for a person who has stage 4 throat cancer. The creator of the clip replied:
It is recommended to take Aimmura X for cancer treatment. It's for urgent cases.
The creator of the video also gave the following advice (as translated): "It can cause cancer cells to die by stimulating immunity to produce killer cells (lymphocytes that are skilled and capable of destroying cancer cells) ... It inhibits the process of creating new blood vessels around cancer cells (tumor tissue), causing cancer cells to shrink and eventually wither away." He also wrote: "It boosts the immune system, or enhances the function of white blood cells to effectively manage cancer cells."
In the second video, posted by the same account, the caption on the video read (as translated):
I consumed this product and got better. Stage 3 mouth cancer. Sesamin is truly effective. The disease subsided when taken with chemo.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Fri Mar 23 16:00 2024 UTC)
The creator of the post gives the same advice as in the first video's comment section.
The National Cancer Institute (archived here) affirms that research indicates the health benefits of sesamin from black sesame seeds in breaking down the outer shell of cancer cells, facilitating their elimination by white blood cells. Nevertheless, the institute cautioned that research on the efficacy of sesamin extracts in destroying cancer cells is limited to cellular and animal experimentation.
Presently, there are no clinical research reports definitively confirming the efficacy of sesamin in destroying cancer cells studied in humans.
Aimmura's sesamin extract product is registered with the Thai FDA as a dietary supplement (archived here). According to the FDA (archived here), it is prohibited to advertise or convey messages suggesting medical properties, especially those claiming protection against or treatment of life-threatening diseases like cancer, for dietary supplement products.
