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Honey
  • Professionals
  • Natural Products (Pro)

Honeybee Products

Scientific Name(s): Apis mellifera L.
Common Name(s): Honig, Miel blanc, Bee pollen, Clarified honey, Honey, Honeybee pollen, Mel, Purified honey, Royal jelly, Strained honey

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 9, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Honeybee products have been used topically and internally for hundreds of years worldwide as remedies for a variety of illnesses; however, clinical trials are lacking for most uses. Honey and royal jelly exhibit antibacterial properties, and there is some evidence that honey might have a role in wound healing. Discrepancies among studies evaluating honey for wounds may be due to variations in the source and preparation of the honey. Bee pollen is most often used for its nutritional properties, and although it is nutritionally rich, claims that it enhances every-day and athletic performance have not been reliably verified. Data supporting the use of honeybee products for other indications are not well substantiated.

Dosing

Honey is a common food and there are no dose restrictions on its use. It has been ingested and used topically.

The ideal dose of bee pollen is unknown, with doses varying among products because tablets contain differing amounts. Manufacturers' recommendations on product labeling may provide more guidance.

Clinical trials are generally lacking to recommend dosage for royal jelly. Small clinical trials have used royal jelly 6 to 10 g/day for 14 to 28 days when evaluating the effect on hyperlipidemia. A randomized, controlled trial investigating use of royal jelly for oral mucositis in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation used a dose of 1 g/day in addition to standard mouthwash therapy. A dose of 2,400 mg/day for 8 weeks showed promise for patients with symptoms of dry eye in a controlled trial.

Contraindications

Honey should be used with caution in infant formulations. Allergy to bee venom is considered a relative contraindication to royal jelly. Other contraindications have not been identified for honey, bee pollen, or royal jelly.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Clinical data regarding safety and efficacy of these products in pregnancy and lactation are lacking. Honey is generally recognized as safe (GRAS) during pregnancy and lactation when used as food.

Interactions

None well documented for honey or bee pollen. Case reports of hematuria due to potentiation of warfarin have been documented with royal jelly.

Adverse Reactions

Allergic reactions may occur to pollen in honey when ingested. Attempts to hyposensitize patients by administering bee pollen may produce severe anaphylaxis and other acute or chronic responses. Although rare, bee pollen can cause serious, sometimes fatal, adverse reactions. Some case reports of acute hepatitis and photosensitivity following ingestion of bee pollen have been reported. In many allergic patients, skin tests are positive for royal jelly. Occupational allergic respiratory disease from the inhalation of powdered royal jelly has been reported in workers. Case reports exist of allergy, acute exacerbation of asthma, anaphylaxis, and death.

Toxicology

Contaminated honey containing botulism spores can poison infants. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization recommend that honey should not be given to an infant younger than 12 months due to the potential for botulism. Honey made from the nectar of poisonous plants can be poisonous. Information on the toxicology of bee pollen or royal jelly is lacking.

Botany

Honey is a bee-concentrated and processed product of nectar from the flowers of numerous plants. This sweet secretion is deposited in honeycombs by honeybees (A. mellifera L., Fam. Api...