Among the most interesting products in health food stores are bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. These products concentrate many "phytochemicals" (plant-derived chemicals) with powerful health-promoting activity. Yet, for the most part, these products have been under appreciated and under utilized in North America.
- Bee pollen comes from the male germ cell of flowering plants. As the honeybee travels from flower to flower it fertilizes the female germ cell. Honey bees make possible the reproduction of more than 80% of the world's grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. The pollen is collected and brought to the hive where the bees add enzymes and nectar to the pollen.
- Propolis is the resinous substance collected by bees from the leaf buds and barks of trees -- especially poplar and conifer trees. The bees utilize the propolis along with beeswax to construct the hive. Propolis has antibiotic activities that help the hive block out viruses, bacteria, and other organisms.
- Royal jelly is a thick, milky substance produced by worker bees to feed the queen bee. The worker bees mix honey and bee pollen with enzymes in the glands of their throats to produce royal jelly. Royal jelly is believed to be a useful nutritional supplement because of the queen bee's superior size, strength, stamina, and longevity compared to other bees.
Nutritional Composition of Bee Products
Bee pollen is often referred to as "nature's most perfect food" because it is a complete protein (typically contains 10-35% total protein) in that it contains all 8 essential amino acids. Bee pollen also provides B vitamins, vitamin C, carotenes, minerals, DNA and RNA, numerous flavonoid molecules and plant hormones.
Propolis and royal jelly have similar nutritional qualities to pollen, but have considerably higher levels of different biologically active compounds.1,2 Royal Jelly contains approximately 12% protein, 5-6% lipids and 12-15% carbohydrates.
History and Folk Use of Bee Products
The use of bee products for medicinal purposes is as old as beekeeping itself. There are many mentions of it in Chinese texts that are 2,000 years old and it was also written about by Hippocrates. Honey was so valued during Roman times it was often used instead of gold to pay taxes.
Of all the bee products, propolis was the most valued as a medicinal agent. Hippocrates prescribed propolis to help heal sores as well as ulcers, both external and internal. Propolis-making bees were also depicted on vases from ancient Egypt where the sign of the bee was often interwoven with the titles of the kings and used as the motif on ornaments presented as rewards for valor. The ancient Egyptians looked upon the bees and their propolis as the source of eternal health and life. In the 17th century, propolis was a major ingredient of healing ointments in the European pharmacopoeia.
Pharmacology and Clinical applications
The health benefits of bee products are much heralded, but insufficiently studied from a scientific perspective. There is somewhat of an overlap on the uses of pollen, propolis, and royal jelly. To provide some clear clinical direction we will rely on what scientific research has been done on these products to date. In all likelihood, the list of principle uses for each of these bee products is likely to grow with continued research. Nonetheless, based on what exists to date, the principle uses are as follows:
Bee pollen:
- Allergies
- Antioxidant support
- Energy enhancement
- Menopausal symptoms
- Support for chemotherapy and radiation therapy
Propolis:
- Common cold
- Gastrointestinal infections
- Immune enhancement
- Topical anti-inflammatory
- Upper respiratory tract infections
Royal jelly:
- Elevated cholesterol levels
- Energy enhancement
Bee Pollen
There has been little research done on bee pollen - probably because there is little financial reward to justify such an investment. The research that does exist is limited, but impressive. For example, studies in animals show that pollen can promote growth and development, protect against free radical and oxidative damage, and protect against the effects of harmful radiation as well as toxic exposure to chemical solvents.3-5 A pollen extract has also been shown to produce significant improvement in menopausal symptoms (headache, urinary incontinence, dry vagina, decreasing vitality) in double-blind studies.6 The improvements were achieved even though the pollen extract produces no estrogenic effect, an important consideration for women who cannot take estrogens of any kind.7
Propolis
The primary use of propolis has been in immune system enhancement and infections. Propolis has inherent antibiotic activity to help the hive block out viruses, bacteria, and other organisms. It seems these same effects can help humans block out organisms as well as propolis has shown considerable antimicrobial activity.8-10 Propolis also stimulates the immune system, according to preliminary human studies.11,12 Studies have also shown that propolis exerts some antioxidant, liver protecting, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties.13-17
One of the key uses of propolis may turn out to be offering protection against and shortening the duration of the common cold. A preliminary human study reported propolis extract reduced upper respiratory infections in children.11 In a double-blind study of 50 patients with the common cold, the group taking propolis extract became symptom-free far more quickly compared to the placebo group.18
Another possible application of propolis is in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In June, 2001, Ralph Golan, M.D., described an interesting case of ulcerative colitis that responded to propolis therapy in an article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors. Dr. Golan feels that the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of propolis are put to good use in the treatment of IBD.
The antimicrobial properties of propolis may also help protect against parasitic infections in the gastrointestinal tract. One preliminary study of children and adults with giardiasis showed a 52% rate of successful parasite elimination in children and a 60% rate in adults in those given propolis extract (amount not stated).19 However, these results are not as impressive as those achieved with conventional drugs used against giardiasis, so propolis should not be used alone for this condition without first consulting a physician about available medical treatment.
Royal jelly
There has been reasonable scientific investigation on the cholesterol lowering effect of royal jelly. Specifically, there have been 10 human studies published, seven were double-blind.20 Of these seven double-blind studies, only three studies utilized an oral preparation. An injectable form was used in the other four. Results of a detailed analysis of the double-blind studies indicate with oral preparations, despite shortcomings in the design of the studies and lack of standardization with commercial preparations used, that royal jelly can produce decreases total cholesterol levels by about 14% in patients with moderate to severe elevations in blood cholesterol levels (initial values ranging from 210-325 mg/dl). Even better results may be noted when using higher quality royal jelly products.
Natural Factors "Bee Factors"
The bee products that I recommend are manufactured by Natural Factors. These products utilize the best quality control processes to insure the highest quality product. For example the bee pollen is collected from Northern Alberta's pristine Peace River Valley. Even though this bee pollen from the cleanest possible environment, it is still meticulously tested for the presence of pesticides, insecticides, herbicides or heavy metals. Full-time beekeepers collect Natural Factors Bee Pollen daily in specially made stainless steel (not zinc) mesh pollen traps. In its natural state pollen contains a lot of moisture and can spoil if not refrigerated or frozen quickly. Natural Factors Bee Pollen is frozen immediately and air-dried in a special cleaning and drying plant - the largest in Canada.
Natural Factors is applying modern chemical analysis to judge the quality of its bee products. For example, one of the active ingredients found in royal jelly is 10-Hydroxy-2-Decenoic Acid or HDA. This substance is believed to be one of the key components of royal jelly and maybe be the factor responsible for the Queen's size and fertility. Enriching Bee Factors Royal Jelly from Natural Factors is guaranteed to provide a minimum of 5% HDA.
Another excellent bee product from Natural Factors is Pollen Plus Energy - a formula that contains bee pollen, royal jelly, and two herbs highly respected for their effects on boosting energy and promoting vitality. Gotu kola is included in the formula for its anti-fatigue, stress-reducing, and mental alertness properties. An ancient proverb states that "two leaves a day will keep old age away." Siberian Ginseng is included for its well-known ability to fight stress and promote higher energy levels.
Safety Issues with Bee Products
Allergic reactions are the most common side effects when using bee products. If there is a known allergy to conifer and poplar trees, use of bee products should be avoided. Allergic reactions can range from very mild (e.g., mild gastrointestinal upset) to more severe reactions including asthma, anaphylaxis (shock), intestinal bleeding, and even death in people who are extremely allergic to bee products.21 There are no known drug interactions.
