Amber gems have been used in Europe as a natural antibiotic and general curative for centuries. Before the discovery of antibiotics, the people of Europe recognized that Baltic amber has curative powers in infectious diseases and used to burn amber, beliving in the fumigating properties of Amber smoke. The native tribes of the Baltic region wore natural Baltic amber teething necklaces, amber necklaces and amber bracelets, made from Baltic amber stones and chips that washed up on the shores. They believed that Amber gems slow the aging process and the development of wrinkles and there is some truth in this belief as amber contains succinic acid which is a powerful antioxidant, used in the Krebs Cycle and involved in the intermediary metabolic process. Natural Baltic Amber contains the highest concentration of succinic acid (as much as 8% by weight) and it is the preferred choice by traditional Chinese healers and Homoeopaths.
Dr. Veniamin Khazanov of the Institute of Pharmacology at the Tomsk Scientific Center says "For aged people, succinic acid has proved to be indispensable. It is capable of restoring the energy balance at the cellular level, which is often upset as the years go by, and helps the patient regain his youthful energy." However, there are no clinical trials or studies on amber products to support his claim by today's standards.