Overview

Royal jelly is a milky secretion made by worker honeybees (Apis mellifera). It's rich in carbs, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.

Royal jelly gets its name because it is used as food for the queen bee. Its composition varies depending on geography and climate.

People use royal jelly for symptoms of menopause. It's also used for hay fever, diabetes, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), obesity, dry eye, and many other purposes, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Don't confuse royal jelly with bee pollen, beeswax, bee venom, honey, or propolis. Also don't confuse it with apitherapy. These are not the same.



Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for

  • Symptoms of menopause. Taking royal jelly by mouth, alone or with other ingredients, seems to somewhat improve symptoms of menopause. But it's not clear if applying royal jelly to the skin helps.

Possibly Ineffective for

  • Hay fever. Taking royal jelly by mouth before and during pollen season doesn't seem to improve seasonal allergies.
  • Diabetes. Taking royal jelly by mouth doesn't seem to improve blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
  • Physical performance in elderly adults. Taking royal jelly by mouth doesn't seem to improve hand grip strength, walking, or balance in elderly people living in a nursing home.

There is interest in using royal jelly for a number of other purposes, but there isn't enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Side Effects

When taken by mouth: Royal jelly is possibly safe when used short-term. Doses of up to 4.8 grams daily have been used safely for up to 1 year. It's usually well-tolerated. But people with asthma or allergies might experience an allergic reaction.

When applied to the skin: Royal jelly is possibly safe when used for up to 6 months. It might cause skin irritation and rash in some people.

Special Precautions and Warnings

When taken by mouth: Royal jelly is possibly safe when used short-term. Doses of up to 4.8 grams daily have been used safely for up to 1 year. It's usually well-tolerated. But people with asthma or allergies might experience an allergic reaction.

When applied to the skin: Royal jelly is possibly safe when used for up to 6 months. It might cause skin irritation and rash in some people.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if royal jelly is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

Children: Royal jelly is possibly safe when taken by mouth for up to 6 months in children 5-16 years of age.

Asthma or allergies: Don't use royal jelly if you have asthma or allergies to bee products. It could cause some serious reactions, even death.

Interactions

    Moderate Interaction

    Be cautious with this combination

  • Warfarin (Coumadin) interacts with Royal Jelly

    Royal jelly might increase the effects of warfarin. Taking royal jelly with warfarin might increase the risk of bruising or bleeding.

  • Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with Royal Jelly

    Royal jelly might lower blood pressure. Taking royal jelly along with medications that lower blood pressure might cause blood pressure to go too low. Monitor your blood pressure closely.

Dosing

Royal jelly has most often been used by adults in doses of 1000 mg by mouth daily for up to 6 months. It's also been applied to the skin in different types of products, including fresh royal jelly, vaginal creams, vaginal solutions, and ointments. Speak with a healthcare provider to find out what type of product and dose might be best for a specific condition.
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CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

This copyrighted material is licensed from Therapeutic Research Center, LLC. Information from this source is evidence-based and objective, and without commercial influence. For professional medical information on natural medicines, see Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database Professional Version.
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