The awareness of Polish society about bee pollen and its health-promoting properties - preliminary assessment of factors determined bee pollen supplementation in survey-based study

Authors

  • Mirosław Sławiński Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8025-4745
  • Piotr Michał Jarosz Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0489-2600
  • Patryk Jasielski Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0958-735X
  • Michał Zarobkiewicz Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0788-6353
  • Ewelina Wawryk-Gawda Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6914-6735
  • Barbara Jodłowska-Jędrych Chair and Department of Histology and Embryology with Experimental Cytology Unit, Medical University of Lublin, Radziwiłłowska Street 11, 20-080 Lublin https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3483-8752

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12775/JEHS.2020.10.09.099

Keywords

bee pollen, survey, health, dietary supplement,

Abstract

Introduction: The apiculture is an old and long-established craft. Bee pollen is a flower pollen packed by bees and used as a food source for a hive. Mainly, it consists of simple sugars, protein, fatty acid but also minerals and vitamins. Bee pollen has multiple properties: antioxidative, antineoplastic, antibacterial and much more. It is commonly used by herbalists in treatment of certain medical conditions. Nevertheless, it is unsure whether bee pollen has any health benefits.

Purpose: The aim of our study was to assess initially a knowledge of respondents about bee pollen and find out which factors can determine bee pollen supplementation.

Materials and methods:  The study was based on an on-line questionnaire, which was created by using Google Forms tool. It consisted of 27 both open and closed questions. Anonymity and resignation opportunity were warranted. The statistical analysis based on questionnaires were elaborated by using R custom script.The Pearson Chi-square test was applied to investigate the relationship between bee pollen usage and: (a) gender, (b) body mass index (BMI) and (c) living area.

Results: The study was based on questionnaires given to 511 respondents, 153 of them were represented by men, whereas 358 by women. The 403 respondents gathered what was bee pollen. Bee pollen has been used by 123 persons (24% of respondents). Majority of respondents knew what bee pollen is. However, only one third of this group already used this product in their diet. People who took bee pollen had awareness about the advantages of this dietary supplement. Interestingly, Chi-square test analysis showed that the relationship between bee pollen usage and gender, as well as bee pollen usage and BMI is statistically significant. Contrary, there is no relationship between bee pollen and living area.

Conclusions:  Our study has highlighted the issue of this problem area among polish society. Quarter of respondents have ever used bee pollen as a part of their diet. Current results show that polish society has been able to have the knowledge about its beneficial properties, because of their declaration submitted to our survey.

References

Fratellone PM, Tsimis F, Fratellone G. Apitherapy Products for Medicinal Use. J Altern Complement Med. 2016 Dec;22(12):1020–2.

Münstedt K, Männle H. Apitherapy for menopausal problems [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jul 16]. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2020;10.1007/s00404-020-05692-2. doi:10.1007/s00404-020-05692-2

Badolato M, Carullo G, Cione E, Aiello F, Caroleo MC. From the hive: Honey, a novel weapon against cancer. Eur J Med Chem. 2017;142:290-299. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.07.064

Mozherenkov VP, Prokof'eva GL. Apitherapy in ophthalmology. Oftalmol Zh. 1986;(5):314-316.

Masterov GD, Nersesian ON. Rol' apiterapii v kompleksnom lechenii bol'nykh khronicheskimi nespetsificheskimi zabolevaniiami legkikh [The role of apitherapy in the combined treatment of patients with chronic nonspecific lung diseases]. Lik Sprava. 1995;(3-4):155-158.

Zarobkiewicz MK, Wo?niakowski MM, S?awi?ski MA, Wawryk-Gawda E, Jod?owska-J?drych B. Bee pollen in allergy and immunology. Short review. Herba Pol [Internet]. 2017 Jan 1 [cited 2017 Jun 24];63(1). Available from: http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/hepo.2017.63.issue-1/hepo-2017-0007/hepo-2017-0007.xml

Eraslan G, Kanbur M, Silici S. Effect of carbaryl on some biochemical changes in rats: The ameliorative effect of bee pollen. Food Chem Toxicol. 2009 Jan;47(1):86–91.

Nagai T, Nagashima T, Myoda T, Inoue R. Preparation and functional properties of extracts from bee bread. Nahrung/Food. 2004 Jun;48(3):226–9.

Abouda Z, Zerdani I, Kalalou I, Faid M, Ahami MT. The Antibacterial Activity of Moroccan Bee Bread and Bee-Pollen (Fresh and Dried) against Pathogenic Bacteria. Res J Microbiol. 2011 Apr 1;6(4):376–84.

Markiewicz-Żukowska R, Naliwajko SK, Bartosiuk E, Moskwa J, Isidorov V, Soroczyńska J, et al. Chemical composition and antioxidant activity of beebread, and its influence on the glioblastoma cell line (U87MG). J Apic Sci [Internet]. 2013 Jan 1 [cited 2017 Jun 24];57(2). Available from: http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/jas.2013.57.issue-2/jas-2013-0025/jas-2013-0025.xml

Komosinska-Vassev K, Olczyk P, Ka?mierczak J, Mencner L, Olczyk K. Bee Pollen: Chemical Composition and Therapeutic Application. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:1–6.

Akiyasu T, Paudyal B, Paudyal P, Kumiko M, Kazue U, Takuji N, et al. A Case Report of Acute Renal Failure Associated With Bee Pollen Contained in Nutritional Supplements. Ther Apher Dial. 2010 Feb;14(1):93–7.

Usta Güc B, Asilsoy S, Canan O, Kayaselcuk F. Does bee pollen cause to eosinophilic gastroenteropathy? Türk Pediatri Arş. 2015 Sep 3;50(3):189–92.

Güç BU, Asilsoy S, Canan O, Kayaselçuk F. Does bee pollen cause to eosinophilic gastroenteropathy? Turk Pediatri Ars. 2015;50(3):189-92.

Tsiapara AV, Jaakkola M, Chinou I, Graikou K, Tolonen T, Virtanen V, et al. Bioactivity of Greek honey extracts on breast cancer (MCF-7), prostate cancer (PC-3) and endometrial cancer (Ishikawa) cells: Profile analysis of extracts. Food Chem. 2009 Oct;116(3):702–8.

Li S. Antitumor activity of bee pollen polysaccharides from Rosa rugosa. Mol Med Rep [Internet]. 2013 Mar 20 [cited 2017 Apr 3]; Available from: http://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/mmr.2013.1382

Almeida-Muradian LB, Pamplona LC, Coimbra S, Barth OM. Chemical composition and botanical evaluation of dried bee pollen pellets. J Food Compos Anal. 2005 Feb;18(1):105–11.

Wu Y-D, Lou Y-J. A steroid fraction of chloroform extract from bee pollen of Brassica campestris induces apoptosis in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells: BEE POLLEN OF BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS ON APOPTOSIS. Phytother Res. 2007 Nov;21(11):1087–91.

Graikou K, Kapeta S, Aligiannis N, Sotiroudis G, Chondrogianni N, Gonos E, et al. Chemical analysis of Greek pollen - Antioxidant, antimicrobial and proteasome activation properties. Chem Cent J [Internet]. 2011 Dec [cited 2017 Sep 16];5(1). Available from: http://ccj.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/1752-153X-5-33

Yang, Kai; Wu, Dan; Ye, Xingqian; Liu, Donghong; Chen, Jianchu; Sun, Peilong (2013-01-23). "Characterization of Chemical Composition of Bee Pollen in China". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Downloads

Published

2020-09-27

How to Cite

1.
SŁAWIŃSKI, Mirosław, JAROSZ, Piotr Michał, JASIELSKI, Patryk, ZAROBKIEWICZ, Michał, WAWRYK-GAWDA, Ewelina and JODŁOWSKA-JĘDRYCH, Barbara. The awareness of Polish society about bee pollen and its health-promoting properties - preliminary assessment of factors determined bee pollen supplementation in survey-based study. Journal of Education, Health and Sport. Online. 27 September 2020. Vol. 10, no. 9, pp. 820-829. [Accessed 28 June 2025]. DOI 10.12775/JEHS.2020.10.09.099.

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 9 (2020)

Section

Research Articles

License

The periodical offers access to content in the Open Access system under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0

Stats

Number of views and downloads: 864
Number of citations: 0