Bee Pollen - Health Benefits & Side Effects

Bee pollen contains trace amounts of minerals and vitamins and is very high in protein and carbohydrates.

Bee pollen is not found in the everyday diet. It is found in nutritional supplements and Chinese herbal medicine products.

Source: Bee pollen consists of plant pollens collected by worker bees, combined with plant nectar and bee saliva. These are packed by the insects into small dust pellets which are used as a food source for the male drones. commercially, the pollen is gathered at the entrance of the hive by forcing the bees to enter through a portal partially obstructed with wire mesh, thus brushing the material off the hind legs into a collection vessel. Because of the increasing popularity of this health food, this means of pollen collection has been supplemented by the direct collection of the material from within the hives. Alternately, pollen is collected directly from the windpollinated plants by automated means, and the pollen is compressed into tablets, with or without added nutritional supplements. Claims have been made that machine­collected pollen is safer and less likely to cause allergic reactions because pollen collected by bees may contain fungal or bacterial contaminants. There is no adequate evidence to support this claim.

History: The use of bee pollen increased during the late 1970s following testimonials by athletes that supplementation with this product increased stamina and improved athletic ability.

Uses of Bee Pollen

Although bee pollen is nutritionally rich, claims that it enhances athletic performance have not been reliably verified. Some evidence indicates it may benefit a range of conditions, from constipation to aging.

Side Effects of Bee Pollen

Ingestion produces allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. Attempts to hyposensitize by administering bee pollen may produce severe anaphylaxis and other acute or chronic responses.

Common Doses

Toxicology: Reports of adverse reactions to bee pollen have been related to allergic reactions after ingestion by sensitive persons. There is a popular, but unadvisable, home practice of using bee pollen to treat allergic disorders. Despite the usually limited response to oral hyposensitization techniques and the potential for severe allergic reactions, this practice has spread considerably.

In one report of anaphylaxis, a 46-year-old man with a history of seasonal allergic rhinitis took a teaspoonful of bee pollen to treat his hay fever symptoms. Fifteen minutes later he developed paroxysm of sneezing and by 30 minutes experienced generalized angioedema, itching, dyspnea and lightheadedness. He recovered following treatment with epinephrine, corticosteroids and diphenhydramine.

Other investigators have reported similar allergic reactions after single doses among patients with a history of allergic rhinitis. The dose required to precipitate an acute allergic reaction was less than one tablespoonful of bee pollen. By contrast, the development of hypereosinophilia, neurologic and gastrointestinal symptoms in a woman who ingested bee pollen for more than weeks was also reported. These chronic allergic symptoms resolved upon discontinuation of the preparation. Although infrequent, some reports of severe allergic reactions to bee pollen have been observed. A 33-year-old man with no prior allergies had an acute anaphylactic reaction 15 minutes after ingesting bee pollen. He recovered fully after emergency medical treatment with epinephrine, lactated ringer's solution and methylprednisolone sodium succinate.

Several reports suggested that bee pollen may have been used as a vehicle to carry the biochemical warfare toxin, T-2 mycotoxin, in Asia and Afghanistan, but this theory has come under considerable criticism

Summary: Bee pollen is an expensive source of carbohydrates and trace nutrients. Although claims have been made that it may increase stamina and provide a source of instant energy, there is little supportive evidence for these claims. It should be taken with caution by persons with a history of pollen-sensitive allergies. Bee pollen is sold as loose granules, compressed tablets, and in capsules in combination with vitamin E and other nutritional supplements. A 100 tablet bottle (500 mg) retails for approximately $5, but imported products can retail for more than $15.00 for 30 pollen pods (a 30-day supply).