Bee Propolis is a natural substance produced by Bees, made from the resin they collect from various trees.

Besides its use for bees to construct and repair their hives, also known as “Bee Glue”, this compound contains a range of therapeutic uses from its antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and immunomodulatory properties.

One particular use for Bee Propolis is its ability to assist in alcohol-induced depression, but you may be asking, how is this even possible?

In this article, we’ll discuss how alcohol contributes to depression and the mechanisms of how Bee Propolis may help with it.

While we’re at it, we’ll also highlight some other key benefits, because I can assure you, it doesn’t just stop at depression.

Let’s dive in.

Alcohol and Depression

Besides alcohol’s ability to severely impact the delicate balance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters (Banerjee, 2014), it also leads to inflammation.

Inflammation is a response triggered by the immune system, and in the short-term, is extremely beneficial in fighting off infection and assisting with tissue repair.

Alcohol triggers this response through intestinal inflammation, and chronic alcohol can damage the integrity of our gut, leading to chronic activation of this inflammatory pathway (Bishehsari, 2017)

Chronic inflammation is generally not good, as it can lead to tissue and liver damage, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurocircuitry disruption that further leads to depression (Felger, 2019).

Of course, quitting booze would be a good first step towards stopping the inflammation (and any potential nutrient deficiencies that come with it) but what if we could use something like Bee Propolis to help us in the process?

Bee Propolis and Depression

As mentioned earlier, Alcohol can damage the integrity of our gut, which is measured in recent studies by an enzyme known as RhoA kinase.

When we have repeated exposure to alcohol, this enzyme is elevated, creating a downstream effect of intestinal injury, inflammation and brain-gut dysfunction (Elamin et al., 2014).

If we supplement with Bee Propolis, studies have shown this may down-regulate the production of RhoA kinase, and reverse alcohol-induced depressive symptoms (Wang et al., 2022).

This means we could potentially combine Bee Propolis with products that help us stop alcohol cravings too, like this relatively affordable supplement.

Other Benefits of Bee Propolis

Of course, the benefits of Bee Propolis don’t just stop at depression and contain many therapeutic plant compounds, vitamins and minerals attributed to positive health effects.

Due to the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of Bee Propolis, it may also exert some neuroprotective effects on the brain, and support the overall function of our immune system (Braakhuis, 2019).

These properties also lower free radicals in the body and may also improve blood flow, which may assist in the reduction of early-stage symptoms of various cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (Curin et al., 2006).

Bee Propolis can also be used as a topical ingredient for wound healing, and skin products actually include Bee Propolis for conditions such as eczema (Medsafe Product Detail, 2019).

Another extremely potent anti-oxidant is N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), which can also be used in conjunction with Bee Propolis to manage withdrawal symptoms in addiction.

Where to Source Bee Propolis

Okay, so you’re sold on the benefits, but where do you get this stuff or what products do you buy?

Bee Propolis can come in the form of liquid or capsule, and this choice depends on what is most convenient for you. Liquids have a pleasant taste, so this can be a good starting point if you want something that is delicious too.

It’s best to also look for products that indicate a high concentration of bioflavonoids, this means the product is less refined and has more therapeutic properties.

From my experience, the best product I’ve found on the market is CATALO Bee Propolis, which uses premium-grade Australian Propolis.

CATALO Ultra Clear Propolis Extract 30ml
CATALO Extra Propolis Extract 60 Capsules

This product ensures you get the highest active ingredients, trace nutrients, and better yet, use water extraction methods (most Propolis products use ethanol extraction!).

So, if you’re looking to give Bee Propolis a go, even just for overall health benefits, why not start now with a small 30ml bottle?

Until next time.

Clarity is here to help, so please use the resources we offer, and if you have any questions, do reach out.

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References

• Bishehsari, F., Magno, E., Swanson, G., Desai, V., Voigt, R. M., Forsyth, C. B., & Keshavarzian, A. (2017). Alcohol and Gut-Derived Inflammation. Alcohol research : current reviews, 38(2), 163–171.
• Braakhuis, A. (2019). Evidence on the Health Benefits of Supplemental Propolis. Nutrients, 11(11), 2705. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11112705
• Banerjee, N. (2014). Neurotransmitters in alcoholism: A review of neurobiological and genetic studies. Indian Journal Of Human Genetics, 20(1), 20. doi: 10.4103/0971-6866.132750
• Curin, Y., Ritz, M., & Andriantsitohaina, R. (2006). Cellular Mechanisms of the Protective Effect of Polyphenols on the Neurovascular Unit in Strokes. Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, 4(4), 277–288. https://doi.org/10.2174/187152506778520691
• Elamin, E., Masclee, A., Dekker, J., & Jonkers, D. (2014). Ethanol disrupts intestinal epithelial tight junction integrity through intracellular calcium-mediated Rho/ROCK activation. American Journal of Physiology. Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 306(8), G677-685. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00236.2013
• Felger J. C. (2019). Role of Inflammation in Depression and Treatment Implications. Handbook of experimental pharmacology, 250, 255–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/164_2018_166
• Medsafe Product Detail. (2019). Medsafe.govt.nz. https://medsafe.govt.nz/regulatory/ProductDetail.asp?ID=13439
• Wang, P., Guo, P., Wang, Y., Teng, X., Zhang, H., Sun, L., Xue, M., & Liang, H. (2022). Propolis Ameliorates Alcohol-Induced Depressive Symptoms in C57BL/6J Mice by Regulating Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Function and Inflammatory Reaction. Nutrients, 14(6), 1213. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14061213

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Stephen Brumwell

Former drinker, Nutritionist, Biohacking enthusiast, self-experimenter, research fanatic, and self-taught writer, Stephen immerses himself deep into the literature of human optimisation and better understand the nature of addiction. His goal is to help people take control of their addiction, reset their cravings, unscramble their broken brain circuitry and use actionable strategies that work ten times better than anything else.