Bee pollen in allergy and immunology. Short review

Abstract

Bee pollen is a natural resource - pollen collected by bees and stored in the beehive with various bee enzymes added as it is a mixture of plants pollen and bee saliva. It is rich source of various nutrients, among them exogenous amino acids. Therefore, it can be a good and natural dietary supplement. New possibilities for bee pollen usage arise every day, yet it can also be a threat. Although bee pollen can act as an immunostimulant and anti-allergic agent, it is also and maybe even primarily allergic or cross-reactive with many allergens. A number of bee pollen allergy cases was described worldwide. A caution is therefore needed before ingestion or any other form of administration, especially in case of children or individuals with atopic predispositions. Anti-allergic attributes and immunostimmulation ability still need further research.