The toxicity of canavanine may be enhanced under conditions of protein starvation, and canavanine toxicity, resulting from consumption of Hedysarum alpinum seeds with a concentration of 1.2% canavanine weight/weight, has been implicated in the death of a malnourished Christopher McCandless.
The toxicity of canavanine is heightened when individuals are protein-deficient, and consumption of Hedysarum alpinum seeds containing 1.2% canavanine by weight has been implicated in the death of Christopher McCandless, who was malnourished.