Bee Pollen Supplementation to Aged Horses Influences Several Blood Parameters.

In humans and animals, aging leads to a decrease in immune function and an increased susceptibility to infection. Decreased immunity and an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases are particularly notable during the autumn. Bee pollen supplementation improves immunity and antioxidant enzyme activity, as well as general performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of bee pollen supplementation during the autumn on blood parameters in aged horses. The study was performed on 16 warmblood horses aged 15-26 years. Half of this group received 60 g of bee pollen (soaked in water) daily for 30 days during the autumn season. Blood samples were taken from all horses before and after the supplementation period. Numerous hematological and plasma biochemical parameters including indicators of oxidative stress were determined. The data collected after the supplementation were compared with data collected before the experiment using one-way analysis of variance and paired Student's t-test. In the control group, there was a decline in the total number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit and an increase in some lipid parameters, urea, total plasma proteins, and sulfhydryl groups. Supplementation with bee pollen prevented the variation of these parameters, except for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. We believe that bee pollen supplementation for aged horses during autumn has beneficial effects because it inhibited some of the adverse changes observed in the control horses during this season.

The effect of bee pollen on bone biomechanical strength and trabecular bone histomorphometry in tibia of young Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

It has been demonstrated in numerous studies that bee pollen supplementation shows numerous positive effects on health. However, its impact on bones is largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of bee pollen supplementation on the tibia biomechanical properties and bone morphometric measures using Japanese quail as an animal model. The experiment was arranged in a 2x2x2 factorial design, with sex, quail line (meat-type or egg-lying type), and bee pollen inclusion (0 or 10 g/kg of feed) as factors. The quails were one-day-old at the beginning of the experiment, they were euthanized after 42 days. Our study showed for the first time unfavorable effects of bee pollen on bones properties. Bee pollen supplementation negatively affected bone structure, irrespective of quails' sex or line type. Bone length (P < 0.001), weight (P < 0.01), and mean relative wall thickness (P < 0.01) and mineralization (P < 0.05) were reduced by bee pollen treatment. For female quails, irrespective of line type, the decrease of yield load (P < 0.001), ultimate load (P < 0.01), yield stress (P < 0.001) and ultimate stress (P < 0.05) was noted. Analysis of growth plate in bone metaphysis showed that bee pollen supplementation slowed the process of bone maturation irrespective of sex (P < 0.05). On contrary, dietary bee pollen positively affected bone homeostasis of trabecular bone in bone metaphysis as bone mineral density increased in experimental groups (P < 0.05). In males, this was the result of the increase of trabecular thickness (P < 0.01), in females due to the reduction of trabecular space (P < 0.001). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that bee pollen (1.0%, 10 g/kg of feed) supplementation caused significant negative effects on the mechanical endurance of the tibia of quails, while showed beneficial effects on trabecular bone histomorphometry.

Coenzyme Q10 treatments influence the lifespan and key biochemical resistance systems in the honeybee, Apis mellifera.

Natural bioactive preparations that will boost apian resistance, aid body detoxification, or fight crucial bee diseases are in demand. Therefore, we examined the influence of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10, 2,3-dimethoxy, 5-methyl, 6-decaprenyl benzoquinone) treatment on honeybee lifespan, Nosema resistance, the activity/concentration of antioxidants, proteases and protease inhibitors, and biomarkers. CoQ10 slows age-related metabolic processes. Workers that consumed CoQ10 lived longer than untreated controls and were less infested with Nosema spp. Relative to controls, the CoQ10-treated workers had higher protein concentrations that increased with age but then they decreased in older bees. CoQ10 treatments increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, GPx, catalase, glutathione S-transferase), protease inhibitors, biomarkers (aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase), the total antioxidant potential level, and concentrations of uric acid and creatinine. The activities of acidic, neutral, and alkaline proteases, and concentrations of albumin and urea were lower in the bees that were administered CoQ10. CoQ10 could be taken into consideration as a natural diet supplement in early spring before pollen sources become available in the temperate Central European climate. A response to CoQ10 administration that is similar to mammals supports our view that Apis mellifera is a model organism for biochemical gerontology.