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Bee Pollen - Guidelines for Using Bee Pollen- Uses and Benefits
Common Trade Names
Multi-ingredient preparations: Aller G Formula 25
Common Forms
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Capsules: 500 mg, 1,000 mg
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Granules: 300 mg
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Tablets: 500 mg, 1,000 mg
Also available as candy bars, liquid, and wafers.
Source
Bee pollen consists of flower pollen and nectar, mixed with digestive enzymes (saliva) from worker honeybees (Apis mellifera). It is harvested at a beehive entrance as bees travel through a wire mesh, which forces them to brush their legs against a collection vessel. Commercial quantities of pollen can be obtained directly from flowers.
Chemical Components
Bee pollen consists of carbohydrates; essential fatty acids, comprising largely alpha-linolenic and linoleic acids; minerals; and protein. It also contains small amounts of B complex vitamins, vitamin C, and various amino acids, coenzymes, enzymes, and hormones.
Actions
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Many nutrients occur in concentrated amounts in bee pollen. Bioflavonoids, for example, function as strong antioxidants within the body and can reduce cholesterol, strengthen and stabilize capillaries, reduce inflammation, and act as antiallergens, antihistamines, and antivirals.
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The effects of bee pollen extract on acetaminophen toxicity in rats were studied. Researchers concluded that early intervention with bee pollen (within 1 hour) could potentially increase survival. All untreated rats died within 24 hours; many of the rats that received bee pollen survived 72 hours or longer.
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The results of other in vitro tests suggest that bee pollen bioflavonoids may exert antioxidantactivity and promote the detoxification of metabolically stressed cells.
Reported Uses
Bee pollen is claimed to be useful for treating allergies, asthma, and impotence. Because of its antioxidant properties, bee pollen is also claimed to be useful for lowering the risk of cancer and heart disease. Cholesterol- and triglyceride-lowering effects of bee pollen have prompted its use for atherosclerosis, hemorrhoids, hypertension, varicose veins, and various circulatory problems.
Bee pollen has been suggested as a treatment for prostatitis and other inflammatory conditions as well. No clinical studies exist to support these claims.
Dosage
Most sources suggest 500 to 1,000 mg P.O. t.i.d. 30 minutes before meals.
Adverse Reactions
Other: allergic reactions, ranging from self-limiting nausea and vomiting to anaphylaxis .
Interactions
Insulin, other antidiabetics: May promote hyperglycemia in diabetics. Avoid administration with bee pollen.
Contraindications And Precautions
Bee pollen is contraindicated in patients with a history of atopy or an allergy to pollen or plant products because of the risk of hypersensitivity reactions. It is also contraindicated in diabetic patients.
Special Considerations
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Refrigerate fresh pollen to maintain its quality.
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Imported pollens are often subject to sterilization techniques during customs inspections and, therefore, lack many enzymes and nutrients.
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Find out why the patient has been taking bee pollen.
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Advise the patient to consult a health care provider before using herbal preparations because a treatment that has been clinically researched and proven effective may be available.
Points of Interest
Bee pollen achieved renewed notoriety during the late 1970s after several famous athletes provided testimony on its behalf.
Germany allows use of bee pollen as an appetite stimulant.
Commentary
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The concept behind manipulating the immune response with bee pollen does not differ appreciably from the allopathic concept of an allergy shot. Both techniques introduce an allergen into the body, which stimulates an immune response. The difference lies in the fact that because bee pollen must be taken orally (it is largely destroyed during digestion), a patient requires 10,000 times the amount of a typical injected allergen challenge to elicit an immune response.
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Bee pollen products are not standardized. The agent typically contains pollen from many kinds of plants. Pollen composition varies from week to week and hive to hive. This lack of standardization means that product efficacy varies from one dose to another.
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The overall lack of scientific data for bee pollen mandates that therapeutic applications be avoided until appropriate studies are performed.
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