This nutrient-rich, thick, milky-colored liquid is the key nutrient that turns an immature bee into a queen bee (worker bees are fed it only during the first three days of life, but the queen is fed it throughout her development and lifespan). Its highly nutritious composition could be one reason that a queen bee lives for up to five years, while worker bees live only seven weeks, or why she weighs 50 percent more than the workers.

What’s In Royal Jelly?

Royal Jelly is actually a combination of honey and bee pollen, combined with enzymes that nurse bees produce in their salivary glands and feed to the larvae. Reyah Carlson, LNA is a certified apitherapist from Ventura, California known by others as “the bee lady of the West,” because of her involvement with apitherapy since 1989. She currently has over 100 hives and maintains a web site at http://home.earthlink.net/~reyah1958/index.html

Carlson has kept bees most of her life, and is very aware of the nutritional benefits of royal jelly. She states, “ Royal Jelly contains 70% water. In pure form, it has a very acidic taste, because the pH is from 3-4. Half of its dried matter consists of proteins and free amino acids. It is the hive product that is the richest in amino acids - it contains 20 essential ones.”

She adds that royal jelly is a rich source of other ingredients that include:
Glucids: “Mainly glucose and fructose in equal amounts”
Lipids: “Up to 4.5% of the dried matter, composed exclusively of fatty acids, including hydroxytransdecenoic acid, which possesses antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-germinative properties.”
Minerals: “including calcium, iron, and potassium”
Vitamins: ”the B vitamins are all present, especially B5 (pantothenic acid)-royal jelly is the richest natural source known; vitamins B12, vitamin C, and the liposoluble vitamins are also present in lesser quantities.”
Acetylcholine: “It contains large quantities, up to mg/gram; its vasodilator properties make its use especially good in treating circulatory disorders affecting the elderly, as well as its neurotransmitter activity, which could explain the effect of royal jelly on the nervous system.
Other elements: “Royal Jelly contains not only a glucose-oxydase, but also the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, as well as a gamma-globulin, which could play a role in the resistance to diseases.”

Royal jelly is available for human consumption in several forms. Carlson states, "Royal Jelly can be taken fresh or fresh frozen, in freeze/dried (lyophilized) tablet or capsule form, mixed in honey, herbal preparations, and as a suppository for vaginal or rectal administration.” Fresh royal jelly is considered most effective, and since it is destroyed by gastric juices, methods that bypass the stomach as considered even better. Carlson notes, “Sublingually, rectally, or vaginally are also good administration methods, since you by-pass digestive juices, and the jelly is readily absorbed.”

Healing Uses For Royal Jelly

Royal jelly has traditionally been used through the centuries to improve skin tone, to bolster the immune system, and to increase energy levels. It has a rich historical tradition that began with the ancient Egyptians, who used this milky substance to maintain youthful vigor and clear skin. Carlson adds that Aristotle was one of the first to provide history with a written description of royal jelly: “’A kind of whitish jelly, which is very much like a hominy.’ Aristotle also noticed that it was offered as food to the bee larvae.”

According to Carlson, the ancient Greeks also used it in one of their most famous elixirs: “Ancient Greeks spoke of ambrosia, which bestowed immortality upon the gods in Olympus. Ambrosia was partly composed of the famous royal jelly. In reality, man has consumed it at will for centuries. In the past, they used to crush the wax queen cell containing royal jelly, pollen, and propolis, consuming this very rich cocktail in its perfectly fresh condition. This is one reason for its remarkable effectiveness.”

Royal jelly has been studied scientifically in the years since. In the 1600’s, a Dutch scholar, Swammerdam, first looked at live hives under a magnifying glass, and discovered that the chiefs of the hives were actually the queens-and that they were fed royal jelly. And in 1740, the French scientist Ferchaut de Reaumur, an experimental biologist, “first scientifically confirmed the privileged treatment of the queen bee,” states Carlson. By 1788, the famous Swiss zoologist Francois Humber had established that royal jelly was used to “educate” the queens.

In more modern times, both personal anecdotes and scientific studies are indicating that royal jelly has health as well as nutritional benefits. Carlson believes that she owes her own good health and clear skin to taking it. “I personally take a rounded tablespoon I personally take a rounded teaspoon of royal jelly every single day, without fail. It has a calming affect, and helps with stress.I also make a lovely nighttime facial cream which is made with royal jelly, beeswax, and propolis...and I am told by many, how beautiful a complexion I have!”

Recent human studies using royal jelly have looked at its ability to lower blood cholesterol levels. Several were double blind studies, and used either an oral preparation, or an injectable form. These studies showed that royal jelly, when taken in amounts of 50-100 mg/day, helped to reduce total cholesterol levels by 14% in subjects with moderately high cholesterol levels.1 Carlson adds, “I’ve seen those who take royal jelly normalize cholesterol levels in as little as two or three weeks, without changing their diet.”

Studies are showing that royal jelly may stimulate the reproductive system. One study with ewes showed that supplementation with royal jelly increased the amount of ovulation and pregnancy in the animals that received it.2

Women who battle menopause symptoms will be interested in the results of a study conducted in Denmark. There, they gave Melbrosia (royal jelly mixed with bee and flower pollen) to women going through menopause, and 1/3 of the women who participated reported relief of their symptoms, including headache, vaginal dryness, and fatigue.3 Carlson adds, “Many of my clients are taking royal jelly as a form of natural hormone replacement therapy, with very good results. And it’s a wonderful way to prevent osteoporosis.” She adds that men can also receive benefits from this milky-white supplement: “It’s good for men who have prostate problems, as well.”

Royal jelly may give new energy to those who battle fatigue, according to animal studies that showed that mice who were given fresh royal jelly had more endurance and recovered more quickly after exercise than those who didn’t.4 And further animal studies are looking at whether peptide chains in royal jelly can help lower blood pressure.5

Some studies have indicated that fresh royal jelly can stimulate the immune system, and help fight off viral infection6. Anecdotally, Carlson has seen its effectiveness first-hand: “I personally have seen success with use of royal jelly in a woman suffering from end stage cirrhosis of the liver, who with in a short period of time had nearly a complete recovery, and was off all medications.”

Royal Jelly was also noted to have an anti-inflammatory effect and to help heal diabetic wounds in another animal study7. And Carlson has seen it improve circulation problems in her clients. “Because royal jelly has vasodilation properties, circulation improves, and it can prevent and diminish varicose veins,” she states.

There is one important caution that should be noted if a person is considering taking royal jelly: the possibility of an allergic reaction, which can range from mild (such as an upset stomach) to a severe, life-threatening asthma or anaphylactic reaction.8 If a person is allergic to other bee products, such as pollen or honey, they shouldn’t take royal jelly.

This is one reason why Carlson starts people off with smaller doses. She states, “I always start my clients on a low dose, 1/8th of a teaspoon, and gradually work up from that point, depending on the need. I have seen some who have an allergic reaction to royal jelly, but by making a heavily diluted portion, and gradually increasing its strength, the person can gradually come to tolerate full doses with no ill affect. This needs to be done with caution, and certain precautions need to be taken. It should only be attempted under the direction and supervision of a qualified apitherapist, or doctor who utilizes apitherapy.”

Royal jelly is a highly nutritious substance that is still being studied for its effect on health and well-being. Recent study results are promising, and who that this “food of the queens” could have health benefits for those who take it.

References

1. 14. Vittek J. Effect of royal jelly on serum lipids in experimental animals and humans with atherosclerosis. Experientia 1995;51:927-35 [review].

2. Husein MQ, Kridli RT. Reproductive responses following royal jelly treatment administered orally or intramuscularly into progesterone-treated Awassi ewes. Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology

3. Szanto E, Gruber D, Sator M, et al. Placebo-controlled study of melbrosia in treatment of climacteric symptoms. Wien Med Wochenschr 1994;144:130-

4. Kamakura M, Mitani N, Fukuda T, Fukushima M.; Antifatigue effect of fresh royal jelly in mice. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol (Tokyo) 2001 Dec;47(6):394-401

5. Matsui T, Yukiyoshi A, Doi S, Sugimoto H, Yamada H, Matsumoto K.; Gastrointestinal enzyme production of bioactive peptides from royal jelly protein and their antihypertensive ability in SHR.

6. Hamerlink,FF.; Neopterin: a review. Exp Dermatol 1999 Jun;8(3):167-76

7. Fujii A, Kobayashi S, Kuboyama N, Furukawa Y, Kaneko Y, Ishihama S, Yamamoto H, Tamura T.; Augmentation of wound healing by royal jelly (RJ) in streptozotocin-diabetic rats.

8. Leung R, Ho A, Chan J, et al. Royal jelly consumption and hypersensitivity in the community. Clin Exp Allergy 1997;27:333-6.