Supplement
Royal jelly is a protein- and fat-rich substance that worker bees produce to feed queen bee larvae. People mostly look at it for metabolic health, and blood glucose improved in a small group of 71 people, though the evidence is limited. Blood pressure and a marker of inflammation called CRP showed no clear difference, and the evidence there is very limited, so the research is still thin.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 5 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 5
- Outcomes
- 28
- Graded outcomes
- 0022
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 71 people | |||
| Blood Pressure No effect | NoneNo effect | 56 people | ||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 71 people | |||
Studies that measured high-density lipoprotein (hdl) | ||||||
| Testosterone | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 56 people | |||
Studies that measured testosterone | ||||||
| Estrogen | Changes; see studies | 56 people | ||||
| Glycemic Control | Improves (the measure goes up) | 56 people | ||||
| HbA1c | Improves (the measure goes down) | 56 people | ||||
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 15 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 71 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 15 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 71 people | ||||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 56 people | ||||
General Cardiovascular Health
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood glucose Small Improvement | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 15 people | |||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 15 people | |||
Studies that measured high-density lipoprotein (hdl) | ||||||
| Liver Enzymes | Changes; see studies | 15 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 15 people | ||||
| Total cholesterol | Improves (the measure goes down) | 15 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 15 people | ||||
Menopause
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): improves
- Irritability: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C-Reactive Protein (CRP) No effect | NoneNo effect | 55 people | ||||
| High-density lipoprotein (HDL) | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 55 people | |||
Studies that measured high-density lipoprotein (hdl) | ||||||
| Irritability | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 55 people | |||
| Cell Adhesion Factors | Improves (the measure goes down) | 55 people | ||||
| Depression Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 55 people | ||||
| Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) | Improves (the measure goes down) | 55 people | ||||
| Menopausal Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 55 people | ||||
| Triglycerides | Improves (the measure goes down) | 55 people | ||||
Allergic Rhinitis (Seasonal Allergies / Hay Fever)
- Allergy Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allergy Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 64 people | |||
Studies that measured allergy symptoms | ||||||
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- PMS Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMS Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 110 people | |||
Key findings
- Blood glucoseImproves (the measure goes down)
- Blood Pressure
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP)
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Third-party tested Royal Jelly products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.
- Grade C
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Studies cited
5 studies from PubMed
- Effect of royal jelly ingestion for six months on healthy volunteers
- Royal jelly supplementation improves lipoprotein metabolism in humans
- Effects of an herbal medication containing bee products on menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular risk markers: results of a pilot open-uncontrolled trial
- Double-blind randomized trial of the effect of Bidro on hay fever in children
- Effect of Royal Jelly on premenstrual syndrome among Iranian medical sciences students: a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled study