Apitherapy, the practice of treating medical conditions and promoting health with bee-related products, includes the use of bee pollen. The honeybee collects pollen from dozens of blooms, storing the male pollen seed from the flowers' stamens on its legs in its journeys. A special pollen collection box, located at the entrance to the hive, gathers small clumps of pollen that fall from the bee's legs. Although bee pollen contains nutrients, it may also trigger reactions in some individuals. Consult a doctor before using bee pollen to treat medical conditions.
Antibacterial
Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers Association, reports that bee pollen may be beneficial in fighting bacteria, including the bacterium that causes staph infection and salmonella. A 2009 Slovakian study, conducted at the Institute of Biodiversity and Biosafety in Nitra, tested 41 different samples of bee pollen on bacterial growth. The study concluded that antibacterial ability of bee pollen batches vary, due to the types of plants the bee visits and the climate in which individual plants grow. Bee pollen harvested from sunflowers, grown in different locations, resulted in different bacteria-fighting effects.
The Food and Drug Administration does not oversee the production or quality of bee pollen sold in health food stores. Consult a medical professional before using bee pollen as an antibiotic.
Hay Fever Desensitization
Honeybees travel within approximately two miles of their hive, collecting pollen from local flowers. Although clinical studies confirming this practice are lacking, advocates claim that by consuming the pollen of local plants that trigger hay fever, the individual suffering from hay fever can gradually desensitize himself to airborne pollen. However, Drugs.com warns that using bee pollen in this way may trigger a serious allergic reaction in some people. Use bee pollen to combat hay fever only under the supervision of a medical professional.
Unproven Uses
Although only anecdotal evidence exists from those who report their own results from taking bee pollen, the American Apitherapy Society lists additional medical uses for bee pollen. These include treatment for obesity, varicose veins, depression, high blood pressure and infertility. No studies exist to confirm these benefits.
Since the FDA doesn't regulate bee pollen, no standard dosage exists, but Nutritional-supplement-educational-centre.com recommends taking up to 1 tbsp. of bee pollen granules per day. Consult your physician for advice on using bee pollen to treat any medical condition.
Potential Future Benefits
A 1994 Chinese study, published in the Journal of West China University of Medical Sciences and included in PubMed, a division of the National Institutes of Health, fed bee pollen to pregnant rats. The rats that ate the pollen gave birth to offspring weighing more than the offspring of rats who did not consume bee pollen. The results of the study indicate that bee pollen might be a beneficial maternal nutrient, but studies confirming a similar benefit in humans are lacking.
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