Greek-origin royal jelly improves the lipid profile of postmenopausal women

Abstract

Aim: Menopause transition is associated with chronic conditions such as osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Concerns about the long-term safety of menopausal hormone therapy make alternative natural methods an appealing approach to management. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of royal jelly (RJ) on cardiovascular and bone turnover markers in clinically healthy postmenopausal women.

Methods: A total of 36 postmenopausal healthy women were studied in a prospective follow-up study. Participants received 150 mg of RJ daily for three months. Circulating cardiovascular risk markers [lipid profile, antithrombin-III (ATIII), Protein C, Protein S, Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)] and bone turnover parameters [Total calcium, phosphate (P), parathormone (PTH), total type-1 Procollagen N-terminal (P1NP), Osteocalcin and serum collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (CTX)] were compared between the baseline and the three-month visit.

Results: The RJ used in this study was particularly rich in medium chain fatty acids, compounds with hypolipidemic properties, which comprised 63% of the dry weight fatty content. RJ treatment resulted in a significant increase in high density lipoprotein – cholesterol (HDL-C 60.2 mg/dL ± 12.3 versus 64.7 mg/dL ± 13.9, 7.7% increase, p = 0.0003), as well as in a significant decrease in low density lipoprotein – cholesterol (LDL-C, 143.9 ± 37.5 versus 136.2 ± 32, 4.1% decrease, p = 0.011) and in total cholesterol (224.4 ± 38.6 to 216.1 ± 36.5, 3.09% decrease, p = 0.018). No statistical significant changes were found in the remaining cardiovascular or the bone turnover parameters.

Conclusions: The intake of RJ 150 mg for three months is associated with significant improvements of the lipid profile of postmenopausal women. RJ supplementation may offer an alternative method of controlling the menopause – associated dyslipidemia.

Chinese abstract

目的: 绝经过渡期与多种慢性疾病如骨质疏松及心血管疾病都有关。对绝经期激素治疗的长期安全性的担忧使得天然化合物替代治疗备受关注。本研究主要目的为检测蜂王浆对绝经后健康女性在心血管和骨代谢指标的影响。

方法: 本次前瞻性随访研究共纳入36名绝经后健康女性。受试者每日服用蜂王浆150mg, 连续服用3个月。对比用药前和用药后三个月的心血管风险标记物[包括血脂, 抗凝血酶III, C蛋白, S蛋白, 纤溶酶原激活物抑制剂-1(PAI-1)]和骨代谢指标[钙总量, 磷酸盐, 甲状旁腺素, 总骨1型前胶原氨基端延长肽(P1NP), 骨钙素及血清I型胶原交联C端肽(CTX)]数值。

结果: 本研究中使用的蜂王浆富含中链脂肪酸, 含有由63%干重脂肪组成的降脂化合物。使用蜂王浆治疗后高密度脂蛋白胆固醇含量(HDL-C)有显著增加(HDL-C, 60.2 mg/dL ±12.3 vs 64.7 mg/dL ±13.9, 提高7.7%, p = 0.0003), 低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)含量明显降低(143.9 ± 37.5 vs 136.2 ± 32, 降低4.1%, p = 0.011), 且总胆酷醇水平也显著降低(224.4 ± 38.6 vs 216.1 ± 36.5, 降低3.09%, p = 0.018)。其余心血管和骨代谢指标在治疗前后的差异无明显统计学意义。

结论: 每日摄入150mg蜂王浆, 连续服用三个月的治疗方案可显著改善绝经后女性的血脂水平。适当补充蜂王浆可作为一种天然替代疗法控制与绝经期相关的血脂异常症。

Keywords:

• Cardiovascular
• cholesterol
• menopause
• osteoporosis
• royal jelly

Declaration of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Greek Secretariat of Research and Technology, Ministry of Development for financial support (Grant ESPA, SMEs 2009) in cooperation with the company “Attiki” Alex Pittas SA. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.