By Catherine Guthrie

‘Tis the season for bees. Whether you’ve been out hiking or working in the garden, no doubt you’ve seen these fuzzy creatures buzzing from bloom to bloom. But they’re more than just part of the backdrop of summer; they’re tiny winged chemists working in laboratories masquerading as hives. For centuries, people have made use of the healing properties of the goods they produce. The science of healing with bees, called apitherapy (apis means bee in Latin), dates back before the time of Hippocrates; references to honey are found in the Bible and the Koran, as well as in the Hindu scripture, the Veda.

Today we are no less fascinated. We steal bees’ hard-earned honey, pickpocket their pollen, and make them sting us to ease our aching joints. Now some experts believe bee products may even be able to vanquish antibiotic-resistant superbugs. But is there any brawn behind the buzz? Or are claims of healing through honeybees just a little, well, fuzzy? As it turns out, some bee products have merit, but others are bogus. Here’s the lowdown.

Bee pollen: antioxidant powerhouse
You can be forgiven if you’re not sure just what bee pollen is. As bees cruise blossoms, they pick up the flowers’ dusty pollen and store it in sacs on their hind legs, then mix it with honey or nectar to form a gluey pollen pellet. Beekeepers heist these goods by placing screens at the hive’s entrance. As the bees return home with saddlebags loaded and wiggle through the screen, the shimmy squeezes the pollen out of their sacs and into the beekeeper’s coffer. And to what end?

Bee pollen enjoyed its 15 minutes of fame when U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) used it to cure his seasonal allergies. Flush with enthusiasm, Harkin spearheaded the establishment of the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Alternative Medicine (now the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine). Sadly, that’s where the bustle over bee pollen ended. It has yet to prove itself in clinical trials for allergy relief and doesn’t appear to boost athletic performance—its other purported benefit—either.

But bee pollen does fly high in one arena: its antioxidant content. These cellular good guys scavenge free radicals, errant molecules that wreak havoc on cells and can jump-start cancerous growths. In an independent lab test recently commissioned by CC Pollen Co., a bee product maker in Phoenix, the company’s High Desert pollen contained even more antioxidants than berries.

• Who might benefit: Anyone seeking a good source of antioxidants.

• How to use it: Bee pollen is available in many forms, including tablets, powders, and liquids. Follow manufacturer’s instructions on dosage. If you develop signs of an allergic reaction—itchy throat, hives, or flushing—stop using it. (See “Take Heed with Bees,” page 57, for more warnings.)

Bee venom: potent anti-inflammatory
For busting inflammation, it’s hard to beat bee venom: One of its components is thought to be 100 times more powerful than hydrocortisone. Hippocrates was one of the first to record the use of bee venom in treating inflamed joints, and the practice continues today. Bee venom therapy, given either by needle or direct sting, offers relief for thousands of people who suffer from inflammatory conditions, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, tendinitis, and bursitis.

Ralph Golan, a general practitioner in Seattle and author of Optimal Wellness: Where Mainstream ... [continue to next page]