Did you know…that bee propolis can boost your immune system, guard against bacterial infection, and destroy cancerous tumors?
Propolis is a resin-like substance that’s collected from the leaf buds of trees by honeybees. Bees use this sticky substance to disinfect their hives, seal cracks, and protect their homes from intruders.
Taking their cue from the bees, researchers have investigated the remarkable disinfectant and immune-boosting properties of propolis, and they’ve uncovered a wide range of therapeutic benefits…from curing the common cold all the way to eradicating cancerous tumors.
Boosting Immunity
Your immune system progressively weakens after age 30, but bee propolis boosts immunity in several ways:
- Propolis increases your white blood cell count. (White blood cells defend against bacterial infections.)
- Flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals in propolis prolong the optimal functioning of your immune system.
- Flavonoids in bee propolis are powerful antioxidants that protect the cell membrane. Flavonoids also prevent fatty deposits from collecting in the heart, nerves, brain, and liver.
And, in a double-blind study conducted by a team of Polish researchers, propolis extract encouraged the immune system to unleash substances that defend against cellular deterioration. 
Fighting Bacteria and Viruses
Polish researchers also discovered that bee propolis extract…
- Destroyed potentially noxious foreign bacteria
- Helped to build up antibodies that protect against infectious diseases
Studies have shown that bee propolis guards against staphylococcus aureas (a strain of bacteria that causes lethal infections in hospitals) and streptococcal bacteria (a strain of bacteria that causes dental plaque and cavities).
In addition, several prestigious medical journals have published studies showing the positive effect of bee propolis on upper respiratory infections, particularly those caused by the common cold and influenza viruses.
Fighting Cancer
Propolis is rich in two important anti-cancer compounds: caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and artepillin C (ARC).
Researchers first explored propolis’s effect on in vitro on tumors related to the life-threatening genetic condition known as nuerofibromatosis. When CAPE-rich extracts were combined with water and tested in mice, they completely halted the spread of one type of neurobibomatosis tumor, and almost entirely eradicated the presence of a second type.
- Scientists from the Universitaets Klinikum Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany proved that propolis suppressed the growth of neurofibromatosis tumors in cancer patients and that no further spread of cancer occurred. The results of this study have exciting implications for not only the development of more effective cancer treatments, but also for treating for other deadly diseases such as AIDS.
- Brazilian researchers have also shown that bee propolis can prevent the spread of larynx cancer tumors. The Brazilian research team incubated the cancer cells with varied concentrations of propolis extracts for different amounts of time. Propolis destroyed cancer cells with increasing effectiveness according to dose and time.
- Propolis also prevents tumors from creating their own blood supplies. This is significant because without an adequate supply of blood, tumors suffocate and die.
Research is still in the preliminary stage, but propolis is emerging as one of the superstar players in a new era of natural and effective cancer cures.
How to Use Propolis
Propolis supplements are available in capsule form in health stores and online. Experts advise that you can also purchase propolis as an ointment to treat wounds and infections.
