Bee pollen gained popularity as a health food in the late 1970s due to the claims of athletes who credited it with enhancing their performance. Although human clinical studies haven't shown a benefit to athletic performance, people take bee pollen to enhance their immune systems, treat a variety of conditions, and promote vitality and general well-being. Don't take bee pollen if you are allergic to bee venom, bee products, ragweed or members of the chrysanthemum family. Rare but life-threatening anaphylactic reactions have been reported. Discuss taking bee pollen with your physician to ensure your safety.
Features
Bee pollen -- a mix of plant pollens, plant nectar and bee saliva -- is produced by worker bees to nourish drone bees in the hive. It contains protein, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids as well as assorted minerals, vitamins, amino acids and enzymes. Drugs.com -- which provides medically-reviewed consumer information -- credits bee pollen with anti-inflammatory and relaxant effects. Bee pollen has traditionally been used to treat constipation, benign prostatic hyperplasia and menopause symptoms. In order to be certified as organic, the bee pollen must be from hives on land that can be proven to be free of insecticides and other toxic chemicals; sustainable farming techniques must also be used. According to BeePollenBuzz.com, the issue of buying organic bee pollen is complicated by the fact that bees may travel for miles to gather pollen. The website endorses bee pollen from unspoiled areas such as New Zealand and Northern British Columbia as most likely to be truly organic.
Nutritional Benefits
Bee pollen is a nutrient-dense food that is rich in protein, low in fat, and high in assorted vitamins and trace minerals. The Fit Day website reports that a teaspoon of bee pollen contains 2 percent of the recommended daily allowance of zinc -- vital for a healthy immune system -- as well as 4 percent of the RDA of vitamin C, needed for the body to produce collagen. It also provides 4 percent of the RDA of copper, essential for the production of red blood cells. With 1.21 g of protein per teaspoon, bee pollen is nearly as protein-rich as peanut butter, while offering roughly half the calories. Some of its constituents -- such as carotene, quercetin and vitamin C -- are potent antioxidants that help to scavenge destructive free radicals in the body.
Treating Prostatitis
There is some scientific research supporting the use of bee pollen to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, commonly known as enlarged prostate. In a clinical study of 240 BPH patients published in 2008 in "Zhonghua Nan Ke Xue," a peer-reviewed Chinese medical journal, translated in English to "National Journal of Andrology," researchers found that a bee pollen product significantly alleviated the mens' symptoms, especially at a dose of 750 mg as compared to 375 mg. They concluded that long-term use of bee pollen could help to alleviate symptoms and prevent the clinical progression of the disease, while causing no adverse effects.
Dosage and Precautions
Bee pollen can be eaten in the form of granules or powder, which can be blended into a beverage or sprinkled over cereal. It is also available in capsules. Drugs.com notes that there is no standard dosage for bee pollen and advises following the manufacturer's recommendations. The website cautions against the practice of people with hay fever or allergies to bee venom attempting to desensitize themselves with bee pollen; a rare but fatal anaphylactic reaction could occur. Bee pollen hasn't been well-studied in humans regarding safety during pregnancy or breast-feeding. Consult your doctor before using bee pollen.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Bee Pollen Information
- Bees and Beekeeping: What Is Bee Pollen?
- Fit Day: How Many Calories Are in Bee Pollen?
- BeePollenBuzz.com: Organic Bee Pollen
- "National Journal of Andrology"; A Comparative Study on Different Doses of Cernilton for Preventing the Clinical Progression of BPH; J. Xu et al.; June 2008
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