Does taking bee pollen really work for getting rid of allergies?

I've read this online, but I would like to know if anyone has taken it and if it worked. I'm aware that the bee pollen would have to be local.





So, does it work???

Does taking bee pollen really work for getting rid of allergies?
It works if it works, is the straight answer. Some people find it works for them, some people don't. I keep bees, and get a lot of people coming to me for local honey for their hayfever, and most of them reckon it works.





The theory is that bee pollen helps against hay-fever because, by eating the pollen that might be causing the allergy, your body gets used to the pollen, and your immune system (the allergy is an over-reaction of the immune system) starts behaving itself again. If this theory is right, then local pollen, or honey, which has traces of pollen in it, should do the trick.





The problem with that is that hay-fever pollen is spread by wind, not by bees. Hay-fever pollen is typically grass pollen, whereas bee pollen comes from flowers. If they're different types of pollen, from different sorts of plants, how can eating it help? Especially as the process of eating it breaks it down very quickly, like any other sort of food. After all, if eating stuff makes you immune to it, how come people get food poisoning?





The answer to that is we don't know. That's not surprising - the immune system is hideously complicated, and varies from person to person, and within each person it changes over time. We don't even know what it is in the pollen that causes the allergy - ordinary allergy remedies change the symptoms, not the cause - so we've no way to tell whether the theory is right.





It may be that there's something in pollen, of whatever sort, that affects the immune system in a way we don't know. At least, some people's immune systems. Not only that, but we're also familiar with the placebo effect - just by doing something that you think might help is, in itself, helpful, even if there's no obvious reason why it should be.





In short, not everything works for everybody, but if it works for you then yes, it really works.
Reply:I would love to know the answer to this question also. A lady from my church said it worked for her but I haven't taken the time to buy some local bee pollen to try it. I'm very skeptical so I'd love to hear more people who have tried this.





Edit - I decided to look for blogs to see if anyone has commented on this. I couldn't find much other than these two.
Reply:I've heard that using locally made honey will work to help with allergies. I guess it's the same priciple.