Are bee sting and airborne pollen allergy issues and consumption of honey and bee pollen related?

There are differences between an airborne pollen allergy and a bee pollen allergy - they are discussed on the What is Bee Pollen? page. To summarize here, bee pollen does not cause hay fever reactions because, generally, it is too heavy to be airborne. But bee product reactions and pollen allergies do exist.

Bee Pollen Reactions

Interestingly, bee pollen is used by many to combat allergies experienced due to airborne pollen. The argument is that bee pollen contains some of the allergens that normally cause the allergic reaction and that taking the granules introduces the allergen to the system in small amounts and thus gradually desensitizes the body by building up a resistance.

Generally, bee pollen and airborne, allergy-causing pollen come from two different sources: bee-pollinated plants and air/weather pollination-reliant plants. Why should pollen from one plant help build resistance to pollen from another plant. That doesn't really make sense.

It is known that bees do visit some plants/flowers that do not require them for pollination, and in the process of visiting, some of the pollen gets caught on the fuzzy surface of the bee. During grooming, some of this pollen will make it into the pollen sacs along with the pollen that we refer to as 'bee pollen'. So, in fact, some of the allergen can make it into the system of someone taking bee pollen. Can an allergen cause a reaction through ingestion as well as inhalation? I'm investigating. If so, then the argument that taking bee pollen could introduce small amounts of the allergen to one's system and thus causing what is mistakenly called a 'bee pollen allergy' is plausible. Some people may actually be allergic to bee pollen, but it is likely that most people experiencing reactions are simply reacting to the airborne pollen that normally causes hay fever symptoms. There is some research to show that this may be the case.

The best advice is that if you plan to take bee pollen supplements, start with very small amounts (one or two granules - you shouldn't be taking more than a tablespoon at the most) and build up, and if you are truly concerned about a pollen allergy, consult a health practitioner that has experience with allergy testing.

Reactions to Honey

Some people have allergic reactions to honey for the same reason that they react to bee pollen - there are trace amounts of airborne pollen that end up in the honey in the course of its production by bees.

Babies up to one year of age can have reactions to raw honey. Honey can carry spores of the bacterium, Clostridium botulinum (C. botulinum), and can cause botulism, a paralytic reaction. This can manifest in infants as a weakening in the muscles that includes symptoms such as lethargy, constipation, weak crying and feeding behaviour, slack facial expression and sometimes respiratory problems. To be safe, avoid the honey and babies combination.

Are Bee Sting Reactions and Pollen Allergies Related?

No, they are not. The reactions are to two different things. In the case of bee sting allergies, the reaction is to the bee venom that is injected when the bee stings you. With bee pollen, the allergen is the airborne pollen that is sometimes found in the bee pollen granules. For more information on pollen allergies, see this site on hay fever.

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