Royal jelly, the special food juice of the queen bee, also promises to help the immune system and has an anti-aging effect. However, the effect and production of the substance are controversial.
Royal jelly is a special food that bee colonies use to feed their queen bees. It is also said to be a very special food for humans: advertising argues that what gives a queen bee a long life cannot be completely ineffective for us either. But there are too few professional studies to substantiate such claims.
However, there is medical evidence that royal jelly poses a high allergy risk. In addition, contaminated royal jelly often comes onto the market. The consumer advice center warns of chemicals and harmful plant substances in products that contain royal jelly.
Royal jelly – the special food of the queen bee
(Photo: CC0/pixabay/abidbh6)
Royal jelly is the food that honey bees feed their queen. It is produced by nurse bees that add certain enzymes from their glands to honey and pollen. It is this special food that makes the difference in the development of the larvae: the larva that consumes it develops into a new queen bee. A queen bee is not only larger than the other bees, she also lives longer and is the only one that can lay eggs. In this way, the queen bee ensures the survival of the bee colony.
In contrast to honey, royal jelly is not golden yellow, but rather whitish. The “bee superfood” is made up of a variety of organic compounds. According to the consumer center, these are mainly the following nutrients:
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Proteins and amino acids
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Carbohydrates, mainly from the fructose of flower pollen
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Fats and the fatty acid 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, which is typical for royal jelly
- Vitamins from the vitamin B group
The medical portal DocCheck explains that B vitamins are involved in a wide variety of functions in the body. Among other things, they play a role in many metabolic processes and support the body as antioxidants. They also ensure that cells can regenerate after damage. Such damage is caused by oxygen compounds, the so-called free radicals.
How valuable is royal jelly for humans?
Honey is a popular home remedy for colds and other ailments. Royal jelly is also said to have healing properties that can benefit people. There is no scientific evidence as to whether the queen bee’s food actually has these effects.
The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) reports vaguely that royal jelly is said to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. In addition, it is said to promote wound healing.
The use of royal jelly could therefore have a positive effect on the organism by
- strengthens the immune system and
- activates the body’s self-healing powers.
The few studies often refer to laboratory analyses and tests on animals. Only a few scientists have researched how treatment with royal jelly works in practice:
- A Japanese study examined the effect on people over a period of six months: They found a positive health development. The test subjects were able to digest glucose better, were mentally fitter and had good blood circulation.
- The natural science advice center at the Munich Tumor Center reports that royal jelly can alleviate side effects in patients during or after chemotherapy – for example, inflamed oral mucosa or damaged kidneys.
Cosmetics, on the other hand, rely on the anti-aging effect of the bee product: in care products, royal jelly is supposed to naturally tighten the skin and thus ensure a younger appearance – at least that is the advertising promise. There are also some natural cosmetics manufacturers that use the substance.
But the effect has not been proven. In addition, ingredients in creams or lotions usually cannot penetrate deeper than the top layers of the skin and therefore only have a superficial effect. Stiftung Warentest found little effect in general with anti-wrinkle creams.
Risks of Royal Jelly
From the BfR’s point of view, the healing effects of royal jelly have not yet been sufficiently proven. Therefore, brands of foods containing royal jelly are not allowed to advertise the alleged effects on their products. However, there are certainly proven health risks.
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Allergies – Royal jelly can trigger severe allergic reactions in sensitive people. Medicines that contain the bee product must therefore carry a warning. However, this warning is not mandatory for foods such as royal jelly drinking ampoules. Warning: If you are allergic to insect bites or suffer from asthma, you should be particularly careful with royal jelly. It could cause an acute allergy attack.
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Pyrrolizidine alkaloids – The consumer advice center also points out that samples of royal jelly have repeatedly tested positive for pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Plants produce these substances as a defense against predators – in humans, however, they can damage the genetic material and have a carcinogenic effect. It is not always clear from the packaging whether a product has been tested for these plant toxins. If in doubt, it is better to ask the manufacturing company or where you buy the product in question. The BfR informs that since July 2022, maximum levels for pyrrolizidine alkaloids have applied in foods that come into stores within the EU.
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Pesticides and other contaminants – The consumer advice center is critical of the fact that 90 percent of royal jelly is produced in Eastern European and Asian countries. It warns that environmental toxins from agriculture can remain in royal jelly. In these regions, less strict limits for pesticides apply than in Germany. In addition, pollen from genetically modified plants could be found in royal jelly without manufacturers having to label this.
Royal jelly: production at the expense of bees
(Photo: CC0/pixabay/maria-anne)
Last but not least, the production of royal jelly itself is controversial. A bee colony only feeds a few larvae with the food juice – and only when new queens are to swarm. During this time, the bees produce a few grams a day. This means that beekeepers can only take very small amounts naturally. This makes royal jelly all the more valuable and sought after.
In China and Eastern Europe, many beekeepers have specialized in the production of royal jelly. They use methods that are not in line with species-appropriate beekeeping. For example, the beekeepers repeatedly remove the larva that is to become the queen bee. This is the only way they can ensure that the bees produce royal jelly all year round. This means enormous stress for the bees – the colony is permanently in a state of emergency.
The animal rights organization PETA therefore recommends avoiding care products containing royal jelly. Instead, it recommends using aloe vera gel or comfrey as a herbal alternative.
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