Local bee honey and pollen allergies

Factual Questions
1

I apologize in advance if this has been covered before. The hampsters seemed to be a bit overwhelmed when I tried a search on the subject.

Is there any studies to back up the assertion that eating a small amount of local bee honey everyday will alleviate allergic reactions to pollen? The idea seems to be that consuming a small bit once or twice each day steadily builds up an immunity to the yellow dust of death. From what I was told about this it has to be local honey or it won’t work. This seems to make sense on the surface, can anyone confirm or deny it?

~NM (who is currently getting his butt kicked by the pollen)

2

Add me to the curious list. (Yes, I realize the thread is over a month old, I did a search and figured this was close to what I wanted to ask, so I’d just bump it.)

I was told by someone years ago that eating local honey or bee pollen would alleviate my allergy symptoms.

I tried eating bee pollen back then, but don’t recall it ever making much of a difference.

My husband and I were at the local farmer’s market this afternoon, and I was tempted to throw down 6 dollars for a 1/4 pound of local bee pollen, but decided against it. (That’s what Patanol and Flonase are for, right?) :wink:

Anyway, I figured I’d better get the straight dope on the stuff before I decide for or against it.

I did some quick googling and found a few sites that offered theories on how it works, which is the same theory I was told years ago (desensitization, though you’d have to start eating the pollen before the season starts.) Similar to shots that I know a few of my family members have had in the past, I guess. I also found a few sites that state that nothing to that affect has been proven.

I haven’t found a rock solid explanation for or against any of the claims I’ve seen.
And now that I’ve read a little about it, I’m also interested in some of the other claims some websites make, athletic/nutritional supplement, immune system/sex drive booster, etc.

Does anyone have experience with bee pollen?

Is it really ‘the perfect food’ or just bee bile?