Evidence supporting the use of: Royal jelly
For the health condition: Osteoporosis

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Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

Royal jelly, a secretion produced by worker bees, has garnered interest for its potential health benefits, including its possible role in supporting bone health and treating osteoporosis. The scientific evidence supporting the use of royal jelly for osteoporosis is limited but promising, primarily based on preclinical animal studies. Several studies in rats and mice have demonstrated that royal jelly and its major fatty acid, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), can stimulate bone formation, increase bone mineral density, and inhibit bone resorption. These effects are thought to result from royal jelly's antioxidant properties, its ability to modulate hormone levels (notably estrogen), and its capacity to enhance osteoblast (bone-forming cell) activity while suppressing osteoclast (bone-resorbing cell) activity.

For example, a 2012 study published in "Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine" showed that royal jelly supplementation prevented bone loss in ovariectomized rats, a common animal model of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, robust human clinical trials are lacking, and the available evidence is not sufficient to confirm efficacy or safety in human osteoporosis patients. Royal jelly is not recognized as a standard or mainstream therapy for osteoporosis by medical guidelines. Therefore, while there is a scientific rationale and some preclinical data to support its potential, the evidence is preliminary and should be interpreted with caution until more human studies are conducted.

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