Royal jelly is a white, milky secretion produced by worker bees to feed the larvae birthed by the queen bee. When a young queen bee is born, she is raised solely on royal jelly. Standard worker bees, on the other hand, receive supplemental nutrition from other sources in addition to the royal jelly. Royal jelly benefits reach much farther than just providing nutrition to growing bees, as it is also believed to supply a number of health benefits when used for human consumption. The most common royal jelly benefits are increased energy levels, anti-aging properties, improved immune system strength and reduction in stress levels.
Believed to increase energy levels, royal jelly has a high content of several major B-vitamins. The compositional breakdown of royal jelly shows that it contains significant levels of vitamins B, B1 and B6. All of these vitamin B variations are commonly used as standalone supplements designed to promote greater levels of both mental and physical stamina.
Royal jelly benefits can also play a major role with regards to anti-aging methods. The vitamin E contained within royal jelly helps promote healthy skin, offering a more youthful complexion. Other components of royal jelly, including amino acids, flavonoids and naturally occurring hormones, help to improve skin from the inside out, encouraging the increased growth and regeneration of skin cells. The fatty acids contained in the product also help to increase hair health, lending to fuller and thicker hair as well as increased growth.
One of the most important royal jelly benefits is its believed ability to help strengthen the body’s immune system. While studies have not been able to determine exactly which components of the product lend the most to this effect, the overall resistance it can produce to common ailments such as the cold or flu are said to be apparent. It has also been said to reduce the risk of cancer while at the same time helping to reduce any tumors that may already be present in the body. Royal jelly is also said to have an anti-inflammatory property, making it useful for treating more common ailments.
Stress reduction, while not attributed to any specific component of royal jelly supplements, is one of the most common reasons people initially start on a royal jelly-supplement program. The increased energy provided by the vitamin B contents helps to reduce stress that can be caused by lack of energy or motivation, and the anti-aging properties, both internal and external, help to increase overall body image and general health. By eliminating many of the factors that may lead to increased stress levels, the chances of higher stress levels caused by these specific factors can decline significantly.