Benefits of Bee Pollen

By Heather Legg

We were at a local farmer’s market recently and a bee farmer was there with honey, candles and bee pollen. After talking to him for a bit, my husband decided to buy some bee pollen to see if it would help with his spring allergies. He was a little afraid to start taking it because of reactions or side effects, but went ahead. Now, like with many other medicines or herbs, it takes a while to show any effect. The good news is, though, that after a couple of days, there are no ill side effects. He was worried about swollen eyes or worse pollen symptoms, but so far so good.

Why do people take bee pollen? According to the gentleman we spoke with, it’s not only to combat allergies, but it also makes you feel more energized. When I looked it up after we got home, so many other benefits were listed, it was hard to keep up. Some of them are: diaper rash, eczema, enhancing athletic performance, stomach problems, asthma, rheumatism, slowing aging and helping with menopause. However, none of these have substantial medical research to back them up.

It also contains high numbers of amino acids and vitamins, including vitamin C and B Complex, along with trace elements of a number of minerals including calcium, magnesium and potassium, though ideas of how much bee pollen to take to get these benefits differs. Another benefit is strengthening the immune system, and a healthy immune system does a better job of fighting allergens.

It does appear to be safe all around, though it is recommended that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding do not take bee pollen. Other than that, it seems safe. There are reports, however, of people like my husband taking it for allergies who have adverse reactions and it makes their allergies worse, even causing swelling and shortness of breath.

If you do decide to take it, the advice we got for taking it is to start with a tiny amount of granules, maybe two or three (my husband is taking 3 a day right now). Take them in the morning because of the energizing aspect as opposed to the evening or before bed. You can stir it into a smoothie or put the granules into oatmeal or something like that. Start with a few granules and every few days increase the intake but a few granules. In the matter of about a month, you’ll be taking about a spoonful.

Use this as an introduction to bee pollen and if you’re interested, look into it further. It is not the same as taking honey. Like other natural supplements, there are not FDA regulations, so do a bit of research before taking it. I look forward to seeing how it helps my husband; maybe I’ll start taking it, too!

1 Comment »

Bee Pollen should not be taken by anyone with an allergy to the sting (bite) of honey bees, wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, etc. You can have an allergic reaction. I know I’m allergic to yellow jackets as when I was a young child I was stung on my hand and my entire arm blew up to the elbow! A few weeks ago I tried a digestive enzyme from pineapple that apparently included bee pollen and I had a reaction later – it felt as if there were little oxygen in the air. The affect went away after a few hours, but people who react badly to insect bites should avoid bee pollen. And yes, sometimes it is in pills, as I found out… I would think taking pure bee pollen would be a lot worst!

December 3rd, 2011 | 5:49 pm
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