Royal jelly (RJ) is a milky substance which is secreted by worker honeybees and is provided as food for queen bees. Nutritional composition of this substance varies in terms of values based on climate and geographical location, but it’s usually comprised of:
- 60 to 70% water
- 12 to 15% protein
- 10 to 16% sugars
- 3 to 6% fats
- 2 to 3% vitamins, amino acids and salt.
Royal jelly’s uses are varied, but don’t only offer benefits for queen bees. Throughout the years, people have discovered that it also offers numerous health benefits for a variety of ailments, not limited to but including:
- Hay Fever
- Liver Disease
- Asthma
- Pancreatitis
- Type-2 Diabetes
- Cancer-related fatigue
- PMS
- Menopausal symptoms
- Infertility
- Ulcers
- Skin Issues
- Baldness
…And, of course, kidney disease! As you can see, royal jelly tends to be loaded with all kinds of good things to help support the human body and overall good health. The research behind which mechanisms specifically effect which problems caused by the specific ailment is still lacking, but we do know that royal jelly is a potent enough panacea to have been touted as a protective agent against arterial hardening and even the formation of some tumors.
One of the latest studies focused on its ability to alleviate certain undesirable effects of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a type of kidney cancer that forms in the small tubes of the kidneys. This study was performed on 33 patients with advanced RCC who were placed on TKI therapy. Some patients
took RJ orally at the beginning of the therapy and 17 received placebo.
The RJ group had a much lower amount of fatigue and anorexia (two common symptoms prevalent in renal cell carcinoma) in comparison with the placebo group. No fatigue and no anorexia was present in most of the RJ group compared with the group on placebo. As a result it was found that RJ is effective for the prevention of fatigue and anorexia.
Fatigue and anorexia can be some of the worst symptoms a person suffering from kidney cancer can contend with, because it leaves the person feeling drained and without energy to carry out any of their daily activities. While more research still needs to be carried out, if the initial findings are any indication, just adding a bit of royal jelly to one’s regimen could help immensely.
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