What are the benefits and potential side effects of bee pollen? Can it help with athletic performance, allergies, or other health conditions? Get the facts.

Exploring the Nutritional Profile of Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is a unique natural substance that is collected by worker bees as they move from flower to flower. It contains a rich array of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, making it a highly nutritious food source. However, it’s important to note that the specific nutrient composition can vary significantly depending on the plant sources the bees have gathered the pollen from.

Potential Health Benefits of Bee Pollen

For years, bee pollen has been touted by herbalists as a potent superfood with a wide range of health benefits. While some studies have shown promising results, the scientific evidence is still largely inconclusive. Some of the potential benefits that have been explored include:

• Athletic Performance: Some research suggests that bee pollen may have the potential to enhance athletic performance, but more studies are needed to confirm these findings.
• Radiation Therapy Side Effects: One small study found that bee pollen may help reduce certain side effects of radiation therapy for cancer patients.
• Prostate Health: Studies have looked at the effects of bee pollen extracts on men with chronic prostatitis or an enlarged prostate, with some positive results.
• PMS Symptoms: A product containing bee pollen (alongside other ingredients) has shown some promise in reducing PMS symptoms, but the specific role of bee pollen is unclear.

Potential Side Effects and Precautions

While bee pollen is generally considered safe for most people when taken in the short term, it’s important to be aware of potential side effects and precautions:

• Allergic Reactions: Individuals with pollen allergies may experience adverse reactions, including itching, redness, shortness of breath, hives, and even anaphylaxis.
• Bleeding Risks: Bee pollen may interact with certain blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, and increase the risk of bleeding.
• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Bee pollen is not recommended for use by pregnant or breastfeeding women, as the safety in these populations has not been thoroughly established.
• Children: Bee pollen should be avoided in children, as the potential risks outweigh the unproven benefits.

Dosage and Sourcing Considerations

Since bee pollen is an unproven treatment, there is no standard recommended dose. It’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating bee pollen into your regimen. When it comes to sourcing, it’s important to purchase high-quality, reputable bee pollen products from trusted suppliers to ensure purity and safety.

Separating Fact from Fiction

While the claims about bee pollen’s health benefits are often exaggerated, it’s clear that this natural substance does possess a unique nutritional profile. However, the scientific evidence to support its use for specific health conditions remains limited. It’s crucial to approach the use of bee pollen with caution and to always consult with a healthcare provider before incorporating it into your routine.

The Importance of Responsible Supplement Use

When it comes to natural supplements like bee pollen, it’s essential to be a discerning consumer. Always research the product’s quality, purity, and safety, and consult with a healthcare professional before using it, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking medications. Responsible supplement use can help ensure your safety and prevent potential adverse effects.

Conclusion: The Takeaway on Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is a complex and fascinating natural substance with a rich nutritional profile. While some promising research has been conducted, the scientific evidence to support its use for specific health conditions remains limited. It’s important to approach the use of bee pollen with caution, consult with healthcare professionals, and be aware of potential side effects and precautions. By staying informed and making responsible choices, you can navigate the world of bee pollen supplements with confidence.

Bee Pollen Benefits and Side Effects

Written by Debra Fulghum Bruce, PhD

Medically Reviewed by Poonam Sachdev on October 05, 2021

• What Is Bee Pollen?
• How Is Bee Pollen Used?
• How Much Bee Pollen Should You Take?
• Can You Get Bee Pollen Naturally From Foods?
• Is Bee Pollen Safe?

For years, herbalists have touted bee pollen as an exceptionally nutritious food. They’ve even claimed it is a cure for certain health problems. Yet after years of research, scientists still cannot confirm that bee pollen has any health benefits.

Bee pollen contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. It comes from the pollen that collects on the bodies of bees as they fly from one flower to another. Bee pollen may also include bee saliva.

It’s important to avoid confusing bee pollen with natural honey, honeycomb, bee venom, or royal jelly. These products do not contain bee pollen although there are combination products that contain one or more of these substances.

Bee pollen is available at many health food stores. You may find bee pollen in other natural dietary supplements, as well as in skin softening products used for baby’s diaper rash or eczema.

You may also hear recommendations for using bee pollen for alcoholism, asthma, allergies, health maintenance, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), enlarged prostate, or stomach problems. It’s also used as an energy tonic.

But there is no proof that it helps with these conditions. Before you take any natural product for a health condition, check with your doctor.

Bee pollen is also recommended by some herbalists to enhance athletic performance, reduce side effects of chemotherapy, and improve allergies and asthma.

At this point, medical research has not shown that bee pollen is effective for any of these health concerns. A few studies have been promising:

• One small study found evidence that bee pollen might reduce some side effects of radiation therapy for cancer.
• Other studies looked at an extract of bee pollen and found some benefits in men who have chronic prostatitis or an enlarged prostate.
• Another study found that a product containing bee pollen (and several other ingredients) seemed to reduce PMS symptoms.

But more research needs to be done before it’s known whether bee pollen truly helps with those conditions.

The many other uses of bee pollen — from increasing strength to slowing aging — are largely unstudied.

As a food, bee pollen does at least seem to be nutritious. It’s a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates.

Since bee pollen is an unproven treatment, there is no standard dose. Ask your doctor for advice.

There are no food sources of bee pollen besides the pollen itself.

Bee pollen appears to be safe for most people, at least when taken for a short term. But if you have pollen allergies, you may get more than you bargained for. Bee pollen (like ragweed or other plants, depending on where the bee pollen comes from) can cause a serious allergic reaction — including itching, redness, shortness of breath, hives, swelling, and anaphylaxis.

Bee pollen is not safe for children or pregnant women. Women should also avoid using bee pollen if they are breastfeeding.

Bee pollen may cause increased bleeding if taken with certain blood thinners like warfarin. Check with your doctor before taking bee pollen if you take any medications, over-the-counter medicines, or herbals.

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Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Bee pollen is flower pollen that’s collected by worker bees, mixed with nectar and bee saliva, and then packed into honeycomb cells in the hive.

Bee pollen might help stimulate the immune system, but it’s not clear how bee pollen causes these effects.

People take bee pollen for athletic performance, hay fever, eczema, constipation, obesity, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. There is also no good evidence to support using bee pollen for COVID-19.

Bee pollens come from many different plants, so the contents of bee pollen can vary significantly. Don’t confuse bee pollen with beeswax, bee venom, honey, propolis, or royal jelly. These other bee products are not the same.

Uses & Effectiveness ?

Possibly Ineffective for

• Athletic performance. Taking bee pollen by mouth doesn’t seem to improve athletic performance.

There is interest in using bee pollen for a number of other purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Bee pollen is possibly safe when used for up to 30 days. It’s usually well-tolerated, but some people might experience allergic reactions.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Bee pollen is possibly safe when used for up to 30 days. It’s usually well-tolerated, but some people might experience allergic reactions.

Pregnancy: Taking bee pollen by mouth is possibly unsafe during pregnancy. It might stimulate the uterus and threaten the pregnancy. Don’t use it.

Breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if bee pollen is safe to use when breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Pollen allergy: Bee pollen can cause serious allergic reactions in people who are allergic to certain types of pollen. Symptoms can include itching, swelling, shortness of breath, light-headedness, and a severe reaction called anaphylaxis.

Interactions ?

Moderate Interaction

Be cautious with this combination

• Bee pollen might increase the effects of warfarin. Taking bee pollen with warfarin might result in an increased chance of bruising or bleeding.

Dosing

There isn’t enough reliable information to know what an appropriate dose of bee pollen might be. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult a healthcare professional before using.

View References

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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is provided by Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Consumer Version. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
© Therapeutic Research Faculty 2020.

Benefits and side effects of bee pollen

04/02/2021

by admin

Apitherapy, Medicine from the hive, Bee pollen, bee products, Pollen, Superfood, superfood

Apitherapy, Healthy Lifestyle, Strengthen Immunity , Encyclopedia of Honey

Focus on bee pollen: its benefits and side effects.

Bee pollen is a popular superfood. The health benefits of bee pollen are actually quite amazing.
Bee Pollen is a health food that has been around for centuries in Eastern cultures, but has only recently begun to hit the market in large quantities. There’s been a lot of buzz about the health benefits of these tiny golden granules – from helping with weight loss to helping with seasonal allergies – but is there any real truth behind them?

First, what is bee pollen?

Bee pollen, sometimes also called bee bread, is plant pollen that bees collect and carry to the hive to feed their brood (newborn bees). It turns out that the characteristics and composition of bee pollen depend on the properties of the plants from which it was collected.

Composition of bee pollen

The composition of bee pollen includes: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It is the richest source of vitamins in one product. Nutrient source consisting of:

• eighteen vitamins including B complex,
• all essential amino acids,
• fatty acids,
• nucleic acids RNA/DNA,
• enzymes,
• and at least 25% protein.

Bee pollen may contain many beneficial compounds, but does that mean it is part of a healthy diet? We delve deeper to find out.

Why is bee pollen good for health?

There are quite a few studies on the health effects of bee pollen. But it’s worth noting that the vast majority of these studies have only been tested on animals. In addition, some of them are preliminary studies, and clinical trials are yet to be carried out.

1. Weight loss. Studies show that malnourished animals that were on a diet rich in bee pollen had increased body weight and muscle mass. Bee pollen won’t necessarily help you lose weight, it certainly has a number of other interesting health benefits.
2. Inflammatory processes. There have been a number of studies that have shown that bee pollen has anti-inflammatory properties comparable to over-the-counter drugs. It has also been proven that bee pollen can help soothe burn wounds, relieve menopausal symptoms, and even reduce symptoms of multiple sclerosis in patients. More research is needed, but clinical improvement has been noted in 100% of patients with multiple sclerosis, and almost 73 percent of patients with disabilities were able to return to work.
3. Allergy. You have probably heard that honey helps with seasonal allergies. However, the verdict on bee pollen has not yet been made. A study has shown that it can help treat seasonal allergies. But it’s also worth noting that it can have some seriously dangerous side effects and even cause anaphylaxis. Therefore, if you are allergic to bee stings or honey, you should talk to your doctor before trying bee pollen.

Pollen is part of apitherapy. It contains in large quantities: vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which makes it incredibly useful. Studies have shown that pollen consumption can reduce inflammation and menopausal symptoms, help wounds heal, and boost the immune system.

Does bee pollen help in sexual life?

Bee pollen is not only good for sex drive, but also gives you confidence, sustained energy, increases your stamina, relieves stress, and boosts your immune system. It also has a huge impact on sperm count and is even thought to increase fertility.

How much bee pollen should I take per day?

We strongly recommend that you consult your doctor before using pollen. Even among our acquaintances there was a case of anaphylactic shock after eating a spoonful of pollen. If you are taking fresh bee pollen for the first time, we recommend that you start taking 2-3 pellets a day during the first week. After one week, slowly increase the amount by 4 to 5 per day. The goal should be to gradually increase the amount of pollen from one teaspoon to one tablespoon of granules per day.

Take pollen on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before meals. Then take a course of 3 weeks (if there are indications as an addition to treatment).

Or, if desired, as a tonic, a teaspoon per day or 0.5 tsp. 3 times a day.
Place under tongue and dissolve. Do not drink for 30 minutes.

It is not recommended to take pollen at night, as pollen invigorates and can disturb sleep. It is better to schedule the last appointment before 16. 00.

You can also mix pollen with honey in a ratio of 1:1 and take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.

What are the side effects of taking bee pollen?

Pollen is allergenic! Pollen, like other beehive products, can cause severe allergic reactions in people who are allergic to pollen. Symptoms may include itching, swelling, shortness of breath, dizziness, and severe whole-body reactions (anaphylaxis).

Who should not take bee pollen?

• Bee pollen can cause a serious allergic reaction, including shortness of breath, hives, edema and anaphylaxis.
• Bee pollen is not safe for pregnant women.
• Women should also avoid using bee pollen if they are breastfeeding.
• Bee pollen may cause increased bleeding when taken with certain anticoagulants such as warfarin.
• Diabetes mellitus is also a contraindication.

Where to buy bee pollen?

Bee Pollen is a great addition to your diet and is easily available from health stores or your local beekeeper. It is best to buy bee pollen directly from the apiary. In our store you can order the required amount of high-quality grass pollen.

Bee pollen

Bee pollen Contraindications for use

Details

Views: 6277

• Pollen

Bee pollen is a good natural remedy for the prevention and treatment of many diseases. This is due to the medicinal properties of bee pollen. (For more information about the medicinal properties of pollen, see the article “Healing properties of pollen”).
When using bee pollen, contraindications are not so significant, but they still exist.
In bee pollen, beneficial properties and contraindications are closely related.
Let’s consider in more detail when taking bee pollen is contraindicated.

Bee pollen is contraindicated for people who are allergic to pollen. As you know, in bee pollen and perga, which was processed by bees, an allergic reaction is extremely rare.

This is due to the fact that bee pollen enters the stomach directly, and not on human skin, like flower pollen carried by the wind. Bee pollen has a completely different composition of flower pollen, which rarely causes allergies, for example, highly allergenic grass pollen is practically absent in bee pollen. But anyway, before you start taking bee pollen in particular and bee products in general, you need to find out if you have an allergic reaction and the first doses of bee pollen are carried out under medical supervision. You can act differently, start taking pollen in a few grains – pollen, gradually increasing the dose of admission and monitoring the body’s reaction. If everything is fine, then there are no contraindications to bee pollen. Sometimes cases of allergies observed when taking bee pollen can be caused by contamination of the pollen with the remnants of the chitinous shells of mites, which should not be in the pollen if the collection and processing of pollen in the apiary was properly organized. Individual human intolerance to bee pollen is a rather uncommon phenomenon, it occurs only in 1-5% of people.
Bee pollen is contraindicated for people with severe lesions of the renal rpoenchyma.
Bee pollen is contraindicated for diabetics if they take a mixture of bee pollen and honey. Also, a mixture of honey with bee pollen is contraindicated for people suffering from flatulence, it is better for them to take pure pollen.
Pollen should be used very carefully in patients with cardiovascular diseases, because pollen induces microsomal liver enzymes, and some of the basic therapy drugs lose their effectiveness.
Bee pollen is strictly contraindicated if used improperly.
Bee pollen is contraindicated in large doses. Bee pollen is a very valuable product, which contains many vitamins and biologically active substances, so bee pollen should not be taken in excess of the norm. This can cause severe complications. Excessive consumption of bee pollen due to the high content of carotenoids in it can damage the liver, reduce blood clotting, and hemorrhages and bleeding (especially dangerous internal ones) may also occur.
In bee pollen, beneficial properties and contraindications are closely related. Bee pollen is a powerful energy drink, so you should not take bee pollen after 7 pm, because the body will be in an excited state and this can lead to sleep disturbance and, as a result, to exhaustion of the body. How to take bee pollen.

Do not take bee pollen to children under 3 years of age.

Bee pollen is categorically contraindicated if stored incorrectly. Bee pollen has a complex composition of vitamins, trace elements, carbohydrates, proteins and fats. It is quite difficult to store pollen at home. If stored improperly, bee pollen becomes damp and this leads to the reproduction of pathogens, since bee pollen is rich in carbohydrates and proteins, which is a good environment for their reproduction. Ingestion of such pollen can cause serious food poisoning.
It is not recommended to take bee pollen after two years of storage, by this time there will be no useful properties left in its composition. Also, do not take burnt pollen, it will not bring benefits to the body.
Therefore, it is important to know how to choose bee pollen when buying on the market.
Categorically, bee pollen is contraindicated if it is collected by bees in ecologically polluted areas. There will be no benefit from such pollen, only harm to the body. Look for and buy pollen only from beekeepers who collect pollen in ecologically clean areas.

Video experience with bee pollen

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