Title: Bee Sting Therapy: Health Benefits + Side Effects - SelfHacked
Headings: Bee Sting Therapy: Health Benefits + Side Effects
Bee Sting Therapy: Health Benefits + Side Effects
What Is Bee Sting Therapy?
Components of Bee Venom
Snapshot
Proponents
Skeptics
Health Benefits
Effective
Venom Immunotherapy
Insufficient Evidence
1) Arthritis
2) Skin Health
3) Parkinson’s Disease
4) Chronic Pain
5) Adhesive Capsulitis
Animal and Cell Research (Lack of Evidence)
Lupus
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Asthma
Lyme Disease
Cancer
Possibly Ineffective
Multiple Sclerosis
Side Effects
Stay Away From Anything That Causes Inflammation!

Content: Although melittin causes itching, pain, and inflammation when delivered at high doses (such as when being stung by a bee), smaller amounts have anti-inflammatory properties. They block several pro-inflammatory pathways, resulting in a reduced production of cytokines (such as IL1 -beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha) and messengers ( prostaglandins and nitric oxide) [ 8, 9 ]. Its other less abundant peptides (apamin and adolapin) act as defensive toxins but preliminary evidence suggests they may also have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving activity through similar mechanisms [ 2 ]. The enzyme phospholipase A 2 triggers inflammation by causing a massive release of arachidonic acid from cell membranes. However, it also has some potential immunoprotective effects. Preliminary evidence found it can reduce Th2 cytokines while increasing Tregs, thus preventing allergic symptoms [ 10, 11, 12 ]. Snapshot
Proponents
Effective for immunotherapy
May help with arthritis
May improve skin health
May reduce chronic pain
May improve Parkinson’s symptoms
Skeptics
Insufficient evidence for most benefits
Frequent adverse effects
Risk of adverse reactions (including anaphylaxis) in people allergic to bee venom
Reported to cause Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammation of hair follicles
Bees die after stinging
Health Benefits
Effective
Venom Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy with bee venom is recommended as the first-line treatment to prevent severe allergic reactions in people allergic to the venom of bees and other insects of the same order ( Hymenoptera ). Two studies found it induces an immune shift from Th2 – (which causes allergies) to Th1 -dominant (triggered in response to infections) responses [ 4, 13, 14 ]. Multiple trials attest to its effectiveness. Unfortunately, the venom must be repeatedly administered at 3-month intervals to maintain its effects on the immune system [ 15, 16, 4, 17, 18 ].