Bee Propolis – The Unknown Food Supplement Health Fanatics Love

Bee Propolis Research

Bee propolis is a strange substance that one may initially be a little wary of using as a dietary supplement. Bees create propolis by combining tree sap, flower buds, and other botanical sources with their saliva and natural beeswax. Along with beeswax, propolis includes the structure of hives. With antifungal and antimicrobial properties, propolis is used by bees to prevent diseases and parasites from attacking the hive. This may seem like a foreign substance, but studies have shown that it imparts the same qualities in the human body as it does in the hive.

Indeed, propolis was the first antibiotic ever discovered. It has been used for over two thousand years by civilizations such as the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans to help prevent cuts, injuries, and burns from becoming infected. Since then, people all over Europe have used propolis to treat a number of conditions, including acne, arthritis, and all sorts of infections. Current medical research has backed up these ancient practices and taken them a step further, testing their effect as a treatment for common bacteria.

Staphylococcus aureus causes many surgical infections, pneumonia, and blood poisoning. It’s incredibly dangerous, because five to ten percent of all hospitalized patients in the US develop these staph infections. Multiple medical journals have documented the activity of propolis as an inhibitor of the growth of S. aureus. Specifically, certain propolis extracts (isoferulic, sinapic, and caffeic acids) have been shown to prevent staph infections from becoming serious.

Another study showed that propolis, combined with traditional antibiotics, had a “marked synergistic effect” on its anti-staph activity. Other studies have shown that propolis inhibits several species of staphylococci that cause tooth decay and strep throat. Interestingly, keeping a piece of propolis under the tongue is an ancient beekeeper’s remedy for a sore throat. Recent medical journal reports have shown that propolis also has significant antiviral abilities, making it effective in helping treat upper respiratory infections such as influenza and the common cold.

As a potential anticancer agent, the caffeic acids in propolis have been shown to prevent the formation of precancerous tissue in the colon. More research is needed to prove this conclusively, but with the general health benefits propolis has already shown, one would not be surprised.

Finally, propolis is an outstanding antioxidant, useful for fighting free radicals within the body. Its flavonoids and ethanols have been shown to work in a similar way to vitamin E and help prevent free radicals from damaging the cellular organs that deal with the transformation of fats into energy.

As a supplement, propolis is best used preventatively rather than as a treatment. If you are allergic to bee stings or honey, you should avoid taking propolis. Also, if you have a history of reactions to pine resins, you should consult a physician or health care professional before including propolis in your supplemental regimen. Despite all that, the health benefits of propolis have been proven over and over again, for thousands of years. Whether you use it in tablet, capsule, or lotion form, its proven antifungal, antibiotic, and antioxidant qualities can help support a healthy immune system.