Propolis or bee medicine was a medical rage in the last few years. Some people claimed that it does wonders but others believe it is just another snake oil's medicine used by some con men to trick the public.
The problem about propolis is information. The amount of reliable information on the subject is so scarce it is so hard to judge whether the substance is worth your money or not.
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This article will try to help you find the truth about propolis benefits. It will try to answer the big question. Does it have any medical benefits?
The most reliable piece of information would be medical literature. So let's skip books, magazine articles and newspaper reports. Let us go straight to the most important, trustworthy source of information on the subject - medical journals.
Upon checking some medical literature, it is not hard to see that propolis seemed to be an important subject only in certain parts of the world. Most research done are from China, Brazil, Middle East and Russia. The number of medical journals on propolis by Western researchers are incomparable to the other parts of the world.
However, that should not dissuade us from finding the truth about propolis. What we need to know is just whether it has any real medical benefits. we just want to know if it is just a useless part of the beehive or a substance that could be used to treat humans as much as it has been used to treat the bees.
From these literatures, we can only made two confirmed claims.
One is it is beneficial in treating dental problems. In fact, doctors have actually been using propolis solution as a standard liquid in dental surgeries. The solution is considered natural, safe and a valuable secondary treatment to treat gum diseases or wounds. A few studies done have shown that propolis help reduce the number of days needed for a wound to heal. That is one truth about propolis.
The second reliable and confirmed truth about propolis is the fact that it is an effective antibiotic. A study done in Australia has actually shown propolis to be multiplying the effectiveness of antibiotic by up to 100 folds. This study paved a way for more studies on the probability of combining propolis with antibiotics in the near future. This will help reduce the number of side effects associated with antibiotics since a smaller dose of antibiotic can be used alongside propolis to achieve the same effect.
Apart from these two benefits of propolis, there are a few more that warrant our attention. However, the number of research done on the effect of propolis on other diseases is still considered small to warrant our attention.
That are the two simple truth about propolis. It is not a snake's oil like some claimed. And it is also not a wonder drug some health maniac want us to believe. It simply is a substance worth studying more for the benefit of the masses in the near future.
The Truth About Propolis Benefits
There are a few more propolis benefits for the public. If you need to know more, head on to the Propolis Center. Make sure you also check the page on propolis side effects. You do not want a swollen face just because you neglect to read that part.