Can bee pollen help with the menopause? That is a question a lot of women ask. Let us
look at what is in bee pollen and see how this can help with many of the
troubling symptoms that women have to put up with when they approach this
critical period.
We all know that bee pollen is a super food and has
been touted as such, since ancient times. The reason is that it has no less than
96 nutrients which range from vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and so
on. Sounds great and in fact all ancient religious manuscripts (the Torah,
Bible and Koran) mention honey and bee pollen.
It is no accident that the bee symbol was used on
ancient Egyptian documents signed by the Pharaohs. In Hindu traditions, it is
widely believed that if you eat honey and bee pollen, you are on the fast track
to happiness and wisdom.
So, bee pollen is nature’s perfect food but how can it
help with menopause? Can it really have a beneficial effect on the hormonal
turmoil in a woman’s body which is causing many troublesome symptoms such as
hot flashes. Then to add to the misery there is a problem of weight gain, poor
quality of sleep due partially to night sweats. It is estimated that many women
in the post menopause period may put on an average of one pound of weight very
year.
The problem with hot flashes
What happens with all the hormonal
storms going on is that the hypothalamus, which is a sort of a
built in regulator, goes a bit haywire. In many ways, it resembles a thermostat.
It also does many other things such as controlling metabolism which is one reason
why putting on weight is another problem.
There is also increased fatigue and exhaustion.
Is hormone therapy the solution?
Many women think that taking supplements with hormones
such oestrogen replacement hormone therapy (HT) can actually help. This may
only be short term relief for hot flashes. Results form The Women’s Health Initiative showed that there was significant
risk of a having a heart attack so many women stopped taking these. That was
about ten years ago when that study was released and women stopped talking the
HT in droves.
But now, hormone therapy is regarded with less
suspicion but many precautions still have to be taken:-
- it is only effective just before the menopause. If taken much later it may be useless
- in fact , if taken much later, there may be a risk of cardiac complications.
- it is not suitable for smokers, those who suffer from uterine bleeding and those who have had breast cancer
- there is still the risk (however small) of blood clots.
So, a pretty mixed picture for HT. So why would bee pollen be a much safer alternative and are
there are any studies to show that it can actually help?
Bee Pollen has many advantages for menopausal women.
As I mentioned above we have a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals and so on. First, many
women find that they have greater energy
because bee pollen has a much higher percentage of Vitamin B in the form of
protein and amino acids. Some estimates put that at 35% and that is why it can
lead to greater energy and vitality and can help combat fatigue.
As regards the hot flashes, the fact that we have so many
vitamins and minerals may mean that hormone levels are better regulated and
there is a decrease in hot flashes and general discomfort.
More benefits for women taking bee pollen :-
- all major vitamin groups such as E, C and A are in it
- lots of zinc and iron
- it contains phytoestrogens and bioflavonoids
- it has essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6
- its complete range of nutrients can help to reduce food cravings and help combat weight loss
While there are few scientific studies which show that
bee pollen can help with menopause, anecdotal accounts and evidence suggest
that it can be a real help in that it can combat fatigue, help with weight
controls and reduce discomfort associated with night sweats and hot flashes.
One trial conducted at the Sofia Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, in Bulgaria was conducted on 55 women who
reported improvement in menopausal symptoms. But this study was much criticised
in that it was an open, uncontrolled one.
Apart from some allergic reactions (people with asthma
and allergies) bee pollen is generally a much safer supplement to take as it is
nature’s super food. There are no other health risks associated with it, unlike
many the conventional drugs we are given.
If you want to try bee pollen …..
Make sure you are getting the purest there is on this
planet. The best areas in the world which are free from toxins, radiation, GM
microbes and other pollutants are some areas of Canada and New Zealand It pays to do your homework here!
Have you ever tried bee pollen and what were the
benefits? Did you notice any difference
and would you recommend it? Leave your
comments below.