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Benefits of Bee Pollen
These days bee pollen has acquired quite a lot of attraction from the health and fitness community because it is overloaded with nutrients, amino acids, vitamins, and other active substances. In fact, the Federal Ministry of Health in Germany considers bee pollen as a medicine as they found many promising results of using it.
Bee pollen is a combination of flower pollen, its nectar, different enzymes, and wax, honey, and bee excretions. Hunting honey bees gather pollen from flowers and plants and take it to their beehive, where it’s used as food for the colony. Don’t confuse bee pollen with other bee merchandises such as honey, royal jelly, or honeycomb. These goods may or may not contain pollen and might contain other substances.
What Is Bee Pollen?
Bee pollen is loaded up with vitamins, minerals, carbs, lipids, and protein. It’s a ball of pollen made and collected from the bodies of young bees when they land on plants and flowers. Bee pollen might also contain bee saliva and nectar.
Beekeepers collect bee pollen by placing a comb on the entrance of the hive, as the bees’ passes through it, the pollen falls from their bodies and collects in the bin below.
How Is Bee Pollen Used?
Bee pollen is easily accessible at many health food stores and also online. They can also be found in many natural dietary supplements, as well as in skin relaxing products used like rash or eczema creams. Bee pollen is also suggested to improve athletic performance, lessen side effects of chemotherapy, and improve allergies and asthma.
Health Benefits of Bee Pollen:
Many studies and research around the health benefits and uses of bee pollen have been conducted. However, mainly, they are just preliminary studies done only on animals, and clinical trials on humans still need to be undertaken.
Here are 8 health benefits of bee pollen backed by the researchers:
Muscle Gain
Research shows that animals who were undernourished when given a diet rich in bee pollen showed improved body weight and muscle mass. So, if you want to lose fat and gain muscle, try sprinkling some bee pollen on your breakfast or smoothie bowl.
If bee pollen doesn’t necessarily help you lose a lot of weight and gain muscle, it has some other remarkable health benefits that would help you in the long run.
Pain
Numerous studies indicate that bee pollen has anti-inflammatory properties. They also claim that bee pollen may provide relief from burn wounds, menopause symptoms, and even reduce MS symptoms in patients.
Allergies
We all know that the use of honey helps with seasonal allergies. Honey has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory property that helps in fighting infections.
One study shows that bee pollen might help treat seasonal allergies, but it’s also worth noting that it can have some hazardous side effects and reactions. So if you’re allergic to bee stings or honey, consult your doctor before starting bee pollen.
Protects From Chronic Diseases
Bee pollen is full of a variety of antioxidants. Antioxidants guard your body against possible dangerous and harmful molecules called free radicals that are linked to many chronic diseases such as cancer and type II diabetes.
Many studies on animals and some on humans show that bee pollen antioxidants can decrease chronic inflammation, reduce harmful bacteria, fight infections, and combat tumor growth.
Anticancer Properties
Bee pollen might have been used for treating and averting cancers, which occur when cells multiply abnormally. Research shows that bee pollen extracts constrain tumor growth and stimulate the destruction of abnormal cells in prostate, colon, and leukemia cancers. Moreover, bee pollen from cistus and white willow claim to have anti-estrogen properties that can decrease the risk of breast and uterine cancers.
Ease Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause is the ending of menstruation in women. It is often escorted by many painful and uncomfortable symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, mood changes, and sleeping disorders. Bee pollen is shown to alleviate several menopausal symptoms.
Women who were taking pollen supplements experienced fewer hot flashes. These women also noticed other health improvements such as better sleep, less moodiness, reduced joint pain, and improved mood. Besides, these bee pollen supplements lowered LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol and raised ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.
Improves liver health
The liver is an organ that is responsible for filtering and cleansing toxins out of the body. Researchers found that bee pollen assists in keeping the liver healthy (this study was conducted on rats). Researchers also noted that the rats had no adverse side effects while taking bee pollen, as compared to silibinin, a drug that also contains antioxidants that can cause harm.
Dietary Supplement
Bee pollen can also work as a supplement to help improve your diet and health. One study showed that when rabbits received a bee pollen supplement along with their regular diet, they had a longer lifecycle and better reproductive success.
Another study found improved muscle mass and metabolism in malnourished rats after including bee pollen in their diet.
Potential Side Effects of Bee Pollen
Make sure you get your supplements from a known reputable source because it’s likely possible that buy contaminated bee pollen that can potentially have dangerous ingredients that can cause serious side effects like elevated heart rate, cardiac arrest, or even death.
Moreover, if you are allergic to bee stings or wasps, you should avoid taking bee pollen. Pregnant women should also avoid taking bee pollen.
Immediately consult your doctor if you experience the following symptoms while taking a supplement:
- Burning sensation or Itching
- Inflammation or Swelling
- Lightheadedness
- Suffocation or difficulty breathing
Also Read: Chia Seeds Benefits, Uses & Recipes
Final Thoughts on Bee Pollen
Even though bee pollen seems to be a safe dietary supplement for most people and claims many health benefits, most of the research and studies have been conducted on animals, not humans.
So make sure you buy bee pollen from a trusted and reliable source. Consult your doctor before taking bee pollen about potential side effects. If your doctor gives the go-ahead, then enjoy it in smoothies or with yogurt. However, it’s not definite that bee pollen can cure all your worries, but won’t hurt to try it.
-Shameka Renee
Results may vary. Information and statements made are for general purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Her Own Health does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Her Own Health are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.
