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Our Members Asked:
Bee pollen: Purported health benefits and possible side effects
Answer:
Bee pollen is a compound made up of pollen grains held together with nectar or honey and bee saliva. A teaspoon (3 to 5 grams) of bee pollen provides about 16 Calories and contains about 2.17 grams of carbohydrate, 1.2 grams of protein, and 0.25 grams of fat, as well as 2.4 mg of vitamin C (4% DV), 0.36 mg of iron (2% DV), 32.1 mg of potassium (0.68% DV), and 0.24 mg of sodium (USDA FoodData Central, 5-1-23; USDA FoodData Central, 5-1-23b), along with small amounts of calcium, magnesium, and B vitamins (Ghouizi, Antioxidants (Basel) 2023).
Bee pollen is promoted for numerous health conditions, such as supporting immune health, boosting energy, reducing cholesterol, boosting liver function, reducing inflammation, reducing seasonal allergies, and promoting would healing, but there are very few clinical studies evaluating bee pollen for these conditions. Sign in as a member for details, including whether clinical studies support use of bee pollen for any of these conditions, possible side effects such as allergy, drug interactions of bee pollen, and cost.
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12 Comments
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Related CL Answers (3)
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Kim20617
September 08, 2024Do you have any top pics for the highest quality bee pollen?
ConsumerLab.com
December 18, 2024At this time, we do not have a Top Pick for bee pollen, as there is no conclusive evidence about which form or dose would have the greatest health benefits.
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Mo19899
July 01, 2024If the bees collect the pollen from crops that have been treated with lnsecticides, or fungicides, the pollen might also contain these chemicals.
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Annette19637
June 06, 2024My husband has been taking bee pollen spread on his toast every morning. He has noted very decreased pain in his hands from arthritis. Plus it gives him energy.
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karen17922
May 13, 2023I took one teaspoon of bee pollen and body swelled up. Ended up in EMR with anaphylaxis; in 15 min my trachea etc would have been swollen and thus unable to breathe; you know rest of story... so they told me..Interesing i am not alone with this.
diana19859
June 26, 2024Glad you are OK! I had one episode of exercise induced anaphylaxis, first and it was very scary.
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Nathan17919
May 07, 2023Isn't there an FDA approved treatment of pollen to be dissolved under the tongue to treat allergies? Isn't this supposed to be a different pathway for the pollen to get into your body so the body creates a different immune reaction other than a n annoying or painful hay fever reaction? I have experimented using local bee pollen- dissolved under my tongue, to get relief from hay fever. It seems to help me. Has there been any studies on using local bee pollen for relief of hay fever?
ConsumerLab.com
May 18, 2023Great question! We've added information about whether or not bee pollen might be beneficial for seasonal allergies in the following section of our article: https://www.consumerlab.com/answers/health-benefits-and-safety-of-bee-pollen/bee-pollen/#seasonal-allergies
Nathan17921
May 21, 2023Thanks for replying. I found the FDA approved pill: it contains ragweed pollen. See https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/allergenics/ragwitek And I understand that local bee pollen contains flower pollen, not the thing I'm allergic to. So I threw my local bee pollen away. It could be that I felt less allergic reactions just because I'm aging and allergic reactions tend to reduce with age, or some other random reason, or placebo effect.
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Ellen17918
May 02, 2023A friend reported taking bee pollen in the spring when the people around him were suffering terribly from spring allergies, yet he was fine. Just one anecdote.
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Jude Todd17915
May 02, 2023Thank you. According to one local pollen vendor, bee pollen can also get moldy pretty easily and should be kept in the freezer, not the refrigerator.
Sandra17916
May 02, 2023Here’s what my research found.. "The best place to store your bee pollen is in the refrigerator or freezer, or in a cool, dark place like a pantry. Keep it away from UV radiation (i.e. sunlight) as heat will diminish the nutritional value of pollen. When stored properly, it can keep for about three years.”
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