Apitherapy: Benefits, Uses, Side Effects, and Risks

Apitherapy has been used for thousands of years. It can be traced back to ancient Egypt and China. The Greeks and Romans used bee products for medicinal purposes as well, where bee venom was used to treat joint pain from arthritis.
Apitherapy can include the usage of all products created naturally from honeybees. This includes:
Bee venom. Female worker bees produce bee venom. It can be delivered directly from a bee sting. The bee sting may be administered to the skin through a stainless steel micro mesh. This allows the venom to enter the skin, but prevents the stinger from being attached to the skin, which would kill the bee.
Honey. Bees produce this sweet substance. It can also be harvested.
Pollen. This is the male reproductive material bees collect from plants. It contains a large number of vitamins and nutrients.
Royal jelly. The queen bee feeds on this enzyme-enriched food. It contains a large number of beneficial vitamins.
Propolis. This is a combination of beeswax, tree resins, honey, and enzymes made by bees to protect the hive from external threats, like bacteria or viruses. It contains strong antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties as a result.
Beeswax. Honeybees create beeswax to build their hive and store both honey and pollen. It’s commonly used in cosmetic products.
Finding products that are as pure and, in some cases, fresh as possible can help get you the best results possible from apitherapy. Taking a vitamin that only contains a small portion of royal jelly, for example, wouldn’t be as effective as taking one with a larger dose of the honeybee product.
It’s also worth noting that local honey can be most beneficial to help you fight allergies.
Ease arthritis pain
Bee venom therapy (BVT) has been used since ancient Greece to help relieve pain from rheumatoid arthritis. This is due to its anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects.
Research has found that BVT can lead to a decrease in swelling, pain, and stiffness in people with rheumatoid arthritis. One study even found that it can reduce the need for traditional medications to be used, and that it simultaneously reduced the risk of relapse.
Heal wounds
Honey has long been used topically to treat wounds — including both open cuts and burns — thanks to its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and pain-relieving properties. Today’s research backs this up. A 2008 review found that medical dressings containing honey were effective at helping heal wounds while lowering the risk of infection.
Helps with allergies
Local wildflower honey, as it turns out, can help treat allergies in several ways. Honey can soothe a sore throat caused by allergies and act as a natural cough suppressant.
Local wildflower honey may also protect people from allergies. This is because local wildflower honey can also contain trace amounts of flower pollen, a known allergen. Consuming local honey could slowly introduce this allergen to the body, potentially building up an immunity to it.
Treat immune and neurologic conditions
BVT can be used as a complementary treatment for diseases tied to both the immune system and the neurologic system, including:
While bee venom shouldn’t be the first or only method of treatment for these conditions, research found evidence that bee venom was able to boost the immune system and reduce some symptoms of these conditions in the body — partially thanks to bee venom’s anti-inflammatory effects.
It’s important to note that this research also indicates that bee venom can be a double-edged sword. Bee venom can cause side effects in many people, even if they aren’t allergic. Treatment must be considered carefully.
Regulate thyroid function
BVT was found to help regulate thyroid function in women who have hyperthyroidism. However, research into BVT as a thyroid treatment is currently very small, and more studies are needed.
Reduce gingivitis and plaque
Propolis can have a number of health benefits. It can reduce gingivitis and plaque when it’s added to a mouth rinse. Research into propolis-containing mouthwashes found that it may be able to naturally protect against oral diseases. Propolis may even help heal and prevent canker sores as well.
Serve as a multivitamin
Both royal jelly and propolis contain a large number of vitamins and nutrients. They can actually be taken as multivitamins to improve overall health, including hair appearance. Propolis is available as an oral supplement and an extract. Royal jelly can be found in soft gel and capsule form.
Different methods of apitherapy carry different risks. For people allergic to bee products, all methods of apitherapy can be dangerous.
BVT in particular can be dangerous. Bee venom can induce a histamine response. This can cause anything from irritation like swollen, reddened skin to severe allergic reactions that can be life-threatening. BVT can be painful. Even if you aren’t severely allergic to bees, it could still lead you to experience negative side effects. These include:
Apitherapy makes uses of a large number of different honeybee products. Some practices of apitherapy will have less risk than others. For example, adding honey to your tea to soothe a sore throat carries less risk than being stung by bees to relieve arthritis pain.
Talk to your doctor to see if apitherapy is right for you. Together, you can make sure it won’t interfere with any other current treatment. If you’re ready to look into apitherapy and your doctor isn’t sure where to go next, look for a naturopath who offers it as a treatment method.
Last medically reviewed on February 26, 2018
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