How Much Bee Pollen Should Be Taken for Energy?

Bee pollen has been used for centuries by people around the world for its natural benefits--including weight loss, increased sex drive, extended life span and slowed aging, better digestion and circulation, detoxification of the body, building immunities, and assisting the brain and nervous system. One of its most popular uses is for increased energy. Here's a basic guide to picking the proper dosage for bee pollen consumption.

Dosage Based on Age

• It's recommended that the average adult requires 15g to 20g (a little over 1/2 oz.) of bee pollen to meet the Recommended Daily Allowance for an active, healthy adult (see Resources). This can be increased to 30g to 32g (28g = 1 oz.) to provide an increase in energy and assist with athletic or strength training. If you feel the need to give your child an extra boost of energy, children ages 3 to 5 require 12g per day, and children ages 6 to 12 require 16g.

Maximum Dosage

• Depending on the age, weight and overall health of the person taking the supplements, daily dosage can be increased up to 35g per day safely to increase energy levels.

Successful Dosing

• Begin taking bee pollen supplements of 1 tbsp. twice daily and no larger (1 tbsp. equals roughly 1/4 oz.). Because of the strong cleansing effect of bee pollen on your system, taking larger doses could upset the gastrointestinal system. After a week, slowly increase consumption to 4 tbsp. The best time to take bee pollen is on an empty stomach, about 1/2 hour before mealtime (this will also help with weight loss).

Choosing your Supplement

• Try to pick a supplement that's in pellet form. Powder, tablet or capsule forms of the product are more processed and less powerful. Be sure you're purchasing a product that hasn't been contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, air pollution or other chemicals. Good Manufacturing Practice guidelines are very strict for manufacturers of these products, so look for supplements from facilities approved by the GMP. Along those same lines, check and make sure it has a certificate of analysis (COA) for each batch. It's also a good idea to check the harvesting source of the pollen. Freeze-dried supplements are best; they maintain their nutrients better than supplements that have been processed or heat dried. Make sure that nothing has been added in the manufacturing process, such as sugars, dyes, flavors, gluten or even sand.