Overview

Bee pollen has been used for medicinal and supplemental purposes for thousands of years. It was one of the mainstays of Chinese herbal medicine, a discipline which is beginning to gain a great deal of respect among many medical professionals.

Scientific analysis of bee pollen has shown that it is made up of about 40% protein, with more than half of the protein load made up of free amino acids which are readily absorbed by the body. In all, bee pollen contains 96 known nutrients, including every single nutrient that’s needed to sustain life.

Interestingly, attempts to synthesize bee pollen in the lab have failed repeatedly. Though the synthetic ‘bee pollen’ appears to be identical in chemical makeup to bee pollen produced by bees, it is unable to sustain life. Worker bees fed on a diet of artificial bee pollen invariably die within days.

What Bee Pollen Does:

Bee pollen is the collected plant pollen gathered by worker bees, mixed with honey and enzymes secreted by bees. Back at the hive, bees normally deposit the pollen into the cells of honeycomb, leaving it open to ferment and become ‘bee bread’, on which newly hatched bees will feed and grow. Beekeepers, however, interrupt the process by installing special ‘doors’ at the entrance to hives to painlessly collect the pollen from the bees and gather it for human use.

Because it contains every nutrient known to be essential to human life, bee pollen is often referred to as ‘Nature’s perfect food’. With 22 amino acids, vitamin C, B-complex and folic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, enzymes, and carotene, bee pollen combines in one source most of the major antioxidants that have been proven effective in treating the effects of aging and many major diseases. It also contains many of the trace elements that our bodies need but can’t manufacture like iron, zinc, manganese,  copper, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It has been suggested and accepted by most medical experts that 35 grams of bee pollen daily contains all the nutrients needed for life by the human body.

Health Benefits of Bee Pollen:

Over the past several decades, one study after another has shown that many of the ‘diseases’ that we know in everyday life are the result of nutritional deficiencies and imbalances. Anxiety, cancer, depression, diabetes, heart disease and many immune system deficiencies have all been linked to deficiencies of minerals, acids or other chemicals in the diet. Because bee pollen contains EVERY KNOWN NUTRIENT essential for life and health, it is a highly recommended all purpose supplement to help “fill in the cracks” in diets that sometimes fall short of ideal. In fact, bee pollen supplements are often used to bolster nutrition in famine areas.

Besides the obvious benefits of supplementing your normal diet with a substance that contains all the nutrients that you need for your health and well-being, though, bee pollen has specifically been used to treat particular conditions throughout the ages.

Enhances General Health And Well-Being

With a full range of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, bee pollen can help relieve minor complaints that are due to lack of proper nutrition in the diet.  

Strengthens Immune Function

Bee pollen contains proteins, mono and polyunsaturated fats, vitamins B, C, D, E, and beta-carotene, calcium, magnesium, selenium, nucleic acids, lecithin, and cysteine, all of which have been proven effective in strengthening the immune system.

Reduces harmful side effects of cancer treatment

In one study, 25 women undergoing chemotherapy took approximately 2 teaspoons of bee pollen three times a day. The women who took bee pollen showed higher levels of red and white blood cells and serum protein, as well as reporting significantly less nausea, poor appetite, sleep disorders and kidney and renal problems. The results of the study are ‘inconclusive but promising’, suggesting that supplementation with bee pollen may help lessen the difficult side effects of cancer treatment.

Stabilizes Weight

Bee pollen contains natural appetite regulators and metabolism stabilizers. Whether the desired effect is weight loss or weight gain, bee pollen has been reported to stabilize metabolism and help regulate both appetite and metabolism of energy.

Builds Resistance To Allergies

Bee pollen has been shown to be effective in reducing allergies to pollen that make hay fever season so miserable. Because bee pollen contains the substances which trigger allergies in those who are sensitive, it can be used to help lower sensitivities to local plant pollens. Because of the potential for an allergic reaction, however, bee pollen should only be used with a doctor’s knowledge and supervision by those who have severe allergies to pollen and bees.

Fights Stress And Anxiety

Stress, anxiety and depression have all been linked by multiple research studies to deficiencies of certain amino acids, essential fatty acids (particularly linoleic acid, of which bee pollen is a potent source) and vitamins. At recommended dosages, bee pollen can help alleviate those deficiencies, resulting in improvement in the condition.

Increases Energy, Stamina And Endurance

Since the days of the original Olympics, athletes have sworn by bee pollen to increase their energy and endurance. While formal studies have yet to bear this out, there are centuries of anecdotal evidence to back it up. Considering the full spectrum of nutrients that bee pollen provides, many researchers feel that the long-term effects of its use are extremely beneficial to athletes who deplete their bodies of nutrients regularly.

Possible Side Effects of Bee Pollen

Bee pollen should be avoided by those who have allergies to pollen and bees, unless it is administered under the care of a doctor. Possible side effects include worsening of allergic symptoms, allergic reactions and in rare cases, anaphylaxis.

Summary

Because it provides a full spectrum of nutrients used by the human body in a relatively low calorie source, bee pollen is a highly recommended daily health supplement. After a good bit of research, we’re particularly impressed with the Xtend-Life’s Natural Energy supplement with potentiated bee pollen as its main active ingredient. It’s been reported in many studies that the body may make use of as little as 5% of the nutrients in raw bee pollen. To counteract this, the researchers at Xtend-Life came up with a process to break down the outer crust of bee pollen granules and release all the nutritional goodness that it contains, increasing the bioavailability of the nutrients in bee pollen to an incredible 95%. Natural Energy also blends pure New Zealand bee pollen with royal jelly (another bee health product) and 24 other enzymes, vitamins and minerals to achieve a synergistically balanced health supplement that boosts energy and helps maintain your health at optimal levels.