Canada 
Alberta 
British Columbia 
Manitoba
New Brunswick 
Newfoundland Labrador 
Nova Scotia 
Ontario 
Prince Edward Island 
Quebec 
Saskatchewan 
United States 
Belgium
France 
Italy 
Switzerland
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
×
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
Propolis and Benefits for Health
Propolis is a resinous substance produced by bees, which they use to fill cracks in their hives and ward off predators. Used for centuries, propolis has more recently become commercially available in various supplement forms, such as capsules, liquid extracts, and creams. It is believed to have antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. More than 300 phytochemical compounds have been identified in propolis, mainly belonging to the flavonoid, terpene, and phenolic acid families.
Taking a propolis supplement may therefore have health benefits, particularly in terms of wound healing, immunity as well as neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, and cardiometabolic diseases. But are these attributes truly supported by scientific evidence? Here’s the lowdown on this question!
A literature review including 63 studies was conducted to assess the evidence for the health benefits of propolis-based products. The majority of available studies were conducted in vitro and in animals, with only six studies conducted in humans. It was concluded that this product shows promise as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent that may produce health benefits, particularly in cardiometabolic (e.g., atherosclerosis, diabetes, and hypertension) and neurodegenerative (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) health, but that more human studies are needed to confirm its efficacy.
Propolis and Gut Health
A six-week randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of daily intake of 900 mg of propolis (versus a placebo) in 56 adult participants with constipation-prone or mixed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-C or IBS-M).
After adjusting for anxiety, a significant reduction in the overall IBS symptom score, as well as in the severity and frequency of abdominal pain, was observed with propolis treatment when compared to a placebo. Patients in the propolis group were approximately six times more likely to experience an improvement in IBS symptoms than those in the placebo group. No significant changes in dietary intake were observed in either group. The results suggest that propolis supplementation may help people with IBS by reducing the severity and frequency of their abdominal pain. However, further studies with larger numbers of subjects and over a longer period of time are needed to confirm this.
Other data suggest that propolis may be a candidate for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to its potent antioxidant properties and its ability to modulate the immune response and gut microbiota. However, human studies are lacking to test these hypotheses.
Author
Kathryn holds a Bachelor Degree in Nutrition as well as a Bachelor and a Master Degree in Kinesiology, all from Laval University. She is a Registered Dietitian and active member of the Ordre professionnel des Diététistes Nutritionnistes du Québec (ODNQ) and of the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has considerable clinical experience in that area. She is also an accomplished athlete, having ran track and cross-country at a national level. Kathryn specializes in sports nutrition, weight loss, diabetes, as well as heart and gastrointestinal health.
Leave a Reply