It is the therapeutic use of honey bees and bee products. The practice of using bee products goes all the way back to the ancient Egyptians when royal Jelly was used for maintaining the vigour of youth and anti-aging skin purposes.



Aristotle was one of the first to write about royal jelly and the ancient Greeks used it in one of their most famous elixirs; 'Ambrosia' which was said to bestow immortality upon the gods.

Bee products have been consumed throughout the centuries since that time and during the 1600's Swammerdam, a Dutch scholar became the first person to study a live working bee hive with a magnifying glass. He noted the important role that royal jelly played in the hive as it was the food given to the queen bee.

Royal jelly is made up of honey and bee pollen mixed with enzymes and this, as modern scientific research is discovering provides it with greater health benefits than just increased vigor and younger looking skin as can be seen from just some of its chemical composition.

Glucids: saccharides of glucose and fructose in equal amounts.

Lipids: hydroxytransdecenoic acid, which has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-germinative properties.

Minerals: calcium, iron, and potassium.

Vitamins:B5 and all the other B vitamins along with vitamin c, vitamin 12 and small amounts of fat soluble vitamins (ADEK).

Acetylcholine: found in large amounts in royal jelly gives it its vaodilation properties that are useful in treating circulatory disorders that are common among the elderly and because acetycholine is a a natural neurotransmitter, used by the brain to calm the body, royal jelly also helps the nervous system to relax.

Other elements: that assist in disease resistance is gamma-globulin.

In addition besides royal jelly other great breakthroughs are being made in other products such as honey bee venom therapy. Honey bee venom therapy is based on its beneficial natural ingredients including neurotransmitters and anti-inflammatory chemicals.

Working the acupressure/acupuncture and nerve meridian points while combining the properties of the stings is thought to be the most effective way of using this therapy which is now used as a treatment for many different diseases.

Controlled clinical studies are being undertaken by Georgetown University to determine the effectiveness of apitherapy on MS whilst 'The Journal of the American Apitherapy Society' give regular updates on studies around the world using apitherapy to treat illnesses and injuries.

In addition to royal jelly and bee venom, honey, propolis, pollen and "bee bread" have also been used as effective treatments for illness and wounds. The results of these trials are showing the effectiveness of apitherapy in treating many conditions including helping to cure tennis elbow.