This week, I have "8 Apitherapy Questions" for
Frank Wiedemann. Frank has been a bee enthusiast for more than 30 years. He has
given classes on beekeeping and apitherapy, and is an engaging public speaker
with a passion for spreading the good news about bees. He is a member of the
American Apitherapy Society and regularly attends courses and conferences with
leaders in the field.
Frank is an avid believer in the health properties of bee
venom and other natural remedies derived from the hive. He is a practicing
apitherapist and is CMACC trained. Frank has experience in commercial
beekeeping and currently raises bees on his property in Idaho.
Ramey's IS 2012
Q: Frank, can you give us a brief understanding of
apitherapy?
A: Apitherapy is a holistic medicine where all products from
bees are used to promote good health. These products include: honey, pollen,
propolis, royal jelly and bee venom. The use of bee products as medicine has
been recorded for over 8,000 years. In China, there is evidence that acupuncture
had its origins from bee venom therapy.
Q: How would athletes and fitness enthusiasts apply the use
of apitherapy to support their exercise programs?
A: People with active lifestyles can improve their energy
and endurance levels by using bee products. For maximum benefit it is important
to use all or as many different bee products as possible. Bee products have a
synergetic effect when used in combination with each other. I suggest taking 1
tablespoon honey and one tablespoon bee pollen twice each day. Also once each
day a propolis and royal jelly supplement. Two to three hours before an event
or extreme workout, I suggest taking one or two extra tablespoons of pollen for
that extra energy boost.
Q: Many mainstream athletes take bee pollen before
competitions what is the benefit of the pollen before a workout or event?
A: Despite many athletes consuming bee pollen prior to
events or workouts, there is no conclusive evidence which supports that pollen
has ergogenic properties. Components in bee pollen vary from region to region
but pollen mainly consists of 20 to 40 percent proteins, 55 percent
carbohydrates, 1 to 2 percent fats, 3 percent minerals. Bee pollen is close to
being a whole food; one teaspoon of bee pollen is equivalent to a hearty
serving of vegetables. As to the benefits of taking bee pollen prior to heavy
physical exertion, I'm all for it but it does remain a mystery as to how the
compounds in bee pollen interact. We do not fully understand the significance
of some flavonoids, carotenoids and phytosterols in bee pollen. The full
physiological effects of bee pollen on the human body remains to be determined.
For now anecdotal information is plenty good for me.
Q: Why use raw honey over processed honey as an energy
source of your workouts?
A: It's very simple: Raw, multiflower, unheated, unfiltered
and unprocessed honey is loaded with natural sugars, antioxidants, enzymes,
amino acids, anti-inflammatories, phytochemicals, flavonoids, vitamins and
minerals just to name a few. Natural honey is an instant energy-building
powerhouse. Processed honey is generally heated (over 140 degrees F), this will
destroy all beneficial qualities in honey and you might as well be using white
sugar, also: filtered or otherwise processed honey will jeopardize quality.
Q: Can aspects of apitherapy help you with healing and
recovery after exercise?
A: Yes, bee pollen, honey, propolis and venom are all
anti-inflammatory and help reduce pain and recovery. Bee pollen mixed half and
half with raw honey is good after a hard workout. As far as injuries are
concerned, I suggest bee venom therapy as it stimulates various healing
responses in our bodies.
(1) H and (13) C NMR-based sugar profiling with chemometric
analysis and antioxidant activity of herbhoneys and honeys
