"But the most commonly cited mechanism of action (and the most plausible, with that term being used very liberally here) is that the amber beads, when warmed by body heat, release tiny amounts of succinic acid which passes trans-dermally into the blood stream where it acts as an analgesic. I refer to this mechanism as plausible for the following reasons only:
Baltic (Class Ia) amber does indeed contain succinic acid
Some molecules, including some drugs used in science-based medicine, are absorbed through the skin to produce physiologic effects
Succinic acid (also known as 1,4-butanedioic acid) is found naturally in the body as an intermediate in the all-important Krebs cycle; altering the levels in the body could therefore have potential physiologic effects
The plausibility for this mechanism ends there, however, and then quickly begins to break down. First, though Baltic amber does contain succinic acid, there is no evidence that it has analgesic effects at any dose, let alone the miniscule amounts that might conceivably enter the body through this route (more on that in a moment). As mentioned above, succinic acid is an important intermediate in a very important biochemical pathway. It resembles many other similar molecules found in our body and is considered safe. Toxicity studies have shown that even large doses produce no adverse effects. The FDA even allows it to be used as a food additive and to be sold as a dietary supplement. Ironically, it is classified as a skin irritant.
The next step in the plausibility break down is the notion that succinic acid in the amber beads gets released at body temperature, and is then absorbed through the skin. There is no evidence that succinic acid is released from amber on contact, or that warming it to body temperature would facilitate this. If it was released, there is similarly no evidence for transdermal absorption. Many factors contribute to the ability of a molecule to enter the body through the skin. In addition to the physical and chemical properties of the molecule, clearly the dose is an important factor. Generally speaking, the larger the concentration the easier it is for a molecule to get through the skin. The amount of surface contact is important as well, and this would have to be considered pretty small in the case of a string of beads worn around the neck. As for the amount of succinic acid likely to be found in one of these necklaces, let’s assume the following:
Baltic amber contains 50-400 ppm of succinic acid
1 mg/kg = 1 ppm
Necklace weighs 1 oz = 0.028 kg
Necklace contains 1.4-11.2 mg succinic acid
Even if you were to assume that succinic acid is released from the necklace onto the skin, the amount released would have to be an extraordinarily miniscule fraction of the total 1.4-11.2 mg contained in the entire necklace. For a therapeutic effect at this sort of dose one would need to invoke homeopathy, but that is an entirely different subject altogether. Interestingly, corrosive formic and acetic acids were found to off-gas as volatile degradation products from Baltic amber. Acetic acid is vinegar, and formic acid is found in fire ant venom and can cause blindness."
A clear refutation of the "science". I found the last sentence particularly interesting.