Royal Jelly Supplementation Research Articles

Effects of TABATA Exercise Volume and Royal Jelly Supplementation on NLRP3 Inflammasome and lncRNA-H19 Expression in Obese Men

Background: Both coding and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as vital regulators in almost every cellular process, and their expression can be modulated by external stimuli, such as physical exercise. Objectives: The current research aimed to investigate the effects of different volumes of TABATA-high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercises combined with royal jelly (RJ) supplementation on the NLRP3 inflammasome and lncRNA-H19 expression in obese males. Methods: Forty-two healthy men [Body Mass Index (BMI) = 30 kg/m², waist-to-hip ratio = 0.95, age range: 40 - 60 years] volunteered to participate in the study. The individuals were randomly divided into five experimental groups (N = 35) and one control + placebo group (N = 7). The high-volume (HV) or low-volume (LV) TABATA exercise programs were performed twice a week for 8 weeks. Participants in the RJ supplementation groups received a 1000 mg capsule once a day for 8 weeks. The expression of NLRP3 and lncRNA-H19 genes was evaluated using the real-time PCR method. Results: The NLRP3 gene expression in the Bruce test, measured before and after the 8-week exercise interventions and RJ supplementation, showed insignificant changes across the different groups. However, the H19 gene expression in the Bruce test showed a significant reduction in the HV-TABATA HIIT intervention groups, which was more pronounced than in the LV groups after 8 weeks: HV group (P = 0.004), RJ group (P = 0.001), HV + RJ group (P = 0.007), and LV + RJ group (P = 0.002). After 8 weeks of non-pharmacological interventions involving exercise training and supplementation, a significant decrease in NLRP3 and a significant increase in H19 gene expression were detected in the HV group compared to the LV group (P = 0.05 and P = 0.010). Significant improvement was also found in the resting H19 levels between the RJ and LV groups (P = 0.011) and the LV + RJ group (P = 0.44). Moreover, a significant reduction in resting NLRP3 gene expression was observed between the RJ + LV and LV groups (P = 0.038). Conclusions: Chronic HV TABATA HIIT exercise, when combined with RJ supplementation, is effective in attenuating inflammatory responses to acute stress.

The Effect of Royal Jelly Supplement on Frozen-Thawed Semen Quality and the Oxidant/Antioxidant Status

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of royal jelly on the quality of frozen-thawed semen and the oxidant/antioxidant status in men with sperm dysfunction due to reactive oxygen species. Methods: The research involved a total of 60 normospermic men, and their semen samples were divided into three groups: Fresh, frozen-thawed with added royal jelly, and frozen-thawed without royal jelly. Results: The findings showed that the addition of royal jelly increased the total antioxidants in frozen-thawed semen and reduced the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, compared to the group without royal jelly. Furthermore, the progressive sperm motility in the frozen-thawed semen with royal jelly was higher than in the group without royal jelly. Conclusions: These results suggest that royal jelly may have a positive impact on sperm motility and could be effective in reducing oxidative stress in frozen-thawed semen, thus potentially benefiting male fertility.

Angiogenic Effects of Aerobic Training and Royal Jelly Consumption with Emphasis on the Role of miR-126 and miR-210 in the Aortic Artery of Ovariectomized Diabetic Rats

Background: Cardiovascular complications in postmenopausal diabetic women are significantly higher than in their healthy peers. Although the beneficial effects of exercise interventions and consumption of foods rich in antioxidants on angiogenesis have been established, the synergistic effects of exercise training and royal jelly (RJ) consumption on angiogenesis in ovariectomized diabetic patients are still not well understood. Objectives: This study investigated the angiogenic effects of aerobic training (AT) and royal jelly (RJ) consumption, with an emphasis on the role of miR-126 and miR-210 in the aortic artery of ovariectomized diabetic (OVXD) rats. Methods: Thirty female OVXD rats were divided into five groups: OVXD control, Sham (Sh), RJ, AT, and AT + RJ. Additionally, six healthy rats were selected as the healthy control group (HC) to evaluate the effects of modeling on variables. Groups 4 and 5 underwent aerobic training for eight weeks, five sessions per week, with an intensity of 55 - 75% of VO2max. Groups 3 and 5 received 100 mg/kg/day of RJ. A one-way ANOVA test was used to analyze VEGF, eNOS, miR-126, and miR-210 (α = 0.05). Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor, eNOS, and miR-210 levels in the AT, RJ, and AT + RJ groups were higher than in the OVXD group (P ≤ 0.05). Although miR-126 levels in the RJ and AT + RJ groups were higher than in the OVXD group (P ≤ 0.05), the effects of AT and RJ separately on increasing VEGF and eNOS were more favorable than the combined effect of AT + RJ. Conclusions: While both AT and RJ supplementation individually increase markers of vascular angiogenesis, the simultaneous effects of these two interventions seem to moderate this mechanism.

Evaluating the impact of three dosages of royal jelly supplement on malondialdehyde levels and pain intensity following high-intensity weight training

Evaluating the impact of three dosages of royal jelly supplement on malondialdehyde levels and pain intensity following high-intensity weight training

Comparative neuroprotective effects of royal jelly and its unique compound 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid on ischemia-induced inflammatory, apoptotic, epigenetic and genotoxic changes in a rat model of ischemic stroke

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aimed to compare the efficacy of royal jelly (RJ) and its major fatty acid 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) on ischemic stroke-related pathologies using histological and molecular approaches. Methods Male rats were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) to induce ischemic stroke and were supplemented daily with either vehicle (control group), RJ or 10-HDA for 7 days starting on the day of surgery. On the eighth day, rats were sacrificed and brain tissue and blood samples were obtained to analyze brain infarct volume, DNA damage as well as apoptotic, inflammatory and epigenetic parameters. Results Both RJ and 10-HDA supplementation significantly reduced brain infarction and decreased weight loss when compared to control animals. These effects were associated with reduced levels of active caspase-3 and PARP-1 and increased levels of acetyl-histone H3 and H4. Although both RJ and 10-HDA treatments significantly increased acetyl-histone H3 levels, the effect of RJ was more potent than that of 10-HDA. RJ and 10-HDA supplementation also alleviated DNA damage by significantly reducing tail length, tail intensity and tail moment in brain tissue and peripheral lymphocytes, except for the RJ treatment which tended to reduce tail moment in lymphocytes without statistical significance. Conclusions Our findings suggest that neuroprotective effects of RJ in experimental stroke can mostly be attributed to 10-HDA.

Royal Jelly Enhances the Ability of Myoblast C2C12 Cells to Differentiate into Multilineage Cells.

Royal jelly (RJ) is recognized as beneficial to mammalian health. Multilineage differentiation potential is an important property of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). C2C12 cells have an innate ability to differentiate into myogenic cells. Like MSCs, C2C12 cells can also differentiate into osteoblast- and adipocyte-lineage cells. We recently reported that RJ enhances the myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells. However, the effect of RJ on osteoblast or adipocyte differentiation is still unknown. Here in this study, we have examined the effect of RJ on the osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation of C2C12 cells. Protease-treated RJ was used to reduce the adverse effects caused by RJ supplementation. To induce osteoblast or adipocyte differentiation, cells were treated with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist, respectively. RNA-seq was used to analyze the effect of RJ on gene expression. We found that RJ stimulates osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation. RJ regulated 279 genes. RJ treatment upregulated glutathione-related genes. Glutathione, the most abundant antioxidative factor in cells, has been shown to promote osteoblast differentiation in MSC and MSC-like cells. Therefore, RJ may promote osteogenesis, at least in part, through the antioxidant effects of glutathione. RJ enhances the differentiation ability of C2C12 cells into multiple lineages, including myoblasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes.

Long-Term Supplementation of Royal Jelly (Raydel®) Improves Zebrafish Growth, Embryo Production and Survivability, Blood Lipid Profile and Functionality of Vital Organs: A 72-Weeks' Consumption Study.

Royal jelly is a honeybee product with substantial pharmacological and health promotional activities. Nevertheless, the health implications associated with the prolonged dietary supplementation of royal jelly have yet to be elucidated extensively. Herein, 72 weeks of dietary supplementation of royal jelly at 5% and 10% (w/w) were investigated to assess the impact on zebrafish survivability, body weight, liver, testis, ovary functionality, and blood lipid profile. The results revealed no adverse effect of 72 weeks of royal jelly supplementation on zebrafish survivability. Conversely, a noteworthy enhancement in the zebrafish body weight was observed in royal-jelly-supplemented zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner [5% and 10% (w/w)]. Interestingly, female zebrafish were found to be more biased, with a significant 17% (p < 0.001) and 23% (p < 0.001) higher body weight enhancement after 72 weeks of consumption of 5% and 10% (w/w) royal jelly, compared to the male zebrafish. The histological outcome revealed no sign of hepatotoxicity; moreover, diminished reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were observed in the hepatic tissue of the royal-jelly-supplemented group. Consistent with the histological outcomes, the liver function biomarkers, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), exhibited a significant decrease of 1.9-fold (p = 0.006) and 1.4-fold (p = 0.003) in zebrafish supplemented with royal jelly compared to those on a normal diet (ND) and zebrafish given supplements. Also, no sign of ovary and testis-related toxicity was observed in the royal-jelly-supplemented group during the 72-week period. Furthermore, the 10% (w/w) royal-jelly-consuming zebrafish exhibited a notable 2.1-fold increase (p = 0.018) in egg-laying ability compared to the ND-supplemented zebrafish. The 10% (w/w) royal jelly supplementation also effectively maintained the blood lipid profile by curtailing serum triglycerides (TG) and elevating high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Conclusively, royal jelly dietary supplementation for a prolonged time found royal jelly to be safe to consume, to efficiently improve hepatic function, reproduction, and sexual health, and to augment the serum HDL-C level.

Unintended consequences: the adverse effects of royal jelly supplementation in the predatory mite Amblyseius herbicolus Chant (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

In this study we delved into the effects of royal jelly supplementation on the life history traits of Amblyseius herbicolus, a thelytokous predatory mite with potential in biological pest control. Royal jelly, a nutrient-rich substance from honeybees, is known for its diverse biological activities in various species. Our experiments showed the concentration-dependent impacts of royal jelly supplementation on A. herbicolus. While royal jelly positively influenced mite survival at low concentrations (5%), a trade-off emerged: increased survival came at the cost of reduced fecundity. Also, royal jelly reduced ovipositional and post-ovipositional duration. Remarkably, maternal royal jelly supplementation influenced the pre-ovipositional duration of A. herbicolus offspring, suggesting transgenerational effects. However, certain traits, such as developmental time, size at maturity, and lifespan of both parents and offspring, remained unaffected. Our findings emphasise the specificity of royal jelly’s impact on different aspects of mite biology and the possibility of inducing adverse influences on life history traits. To fully harness the potential of royal jelly in dietary supplementation, further research exploring the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions is imperative.

Effects of royal jelly on the antisenescence, mitochondrial viability and osteogenic differentiation capacity of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have the ability to self-renew and regulate paracrine signalling and immune system processes. MSCs have extensive clinical applications in regeneration, functional reconstruction and cellular therapies. However, studies are needed to discover ways to improve the properties of MSCs, such as differentiation, and prevent senescence in culture, which are both very important for cell therapies. Royal jelly (RJ) is a nutritional substance produced by worker bees that contains a substantial amounts of proteins that are beneficial for cell growth and proliferation. RJ is widely used in traditional medicine today, and due to the specific components in its content, it has been reported to have antioxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-ageing properties. In our study, human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) derived from umbilical cord matrix were grown in culture medium supplemented with RJ. The control group comprised minimum essential medium (MEM) and 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS); RJ groups were formed using MEM, 10% FBS and 0.075mg/ml or 0.150mg/ml RJ. In our study, we evaluated the effect of RJ on WJ-MSC growth by MTT assay, proliferating cell nuclear antigen ELISA, β-galactosidase activity assay, MitoTracker Green staining and differentiation tests in adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic cell lines. It was observed that the number of mitochondria increased, senescence decreased and osteogenic differentiation increased after differentiation induction after the addition of RJ to MSC culture. In general, the results of this study indicate that WJ-MSCs enhance mitochondrial numbers and important cellular activities, such as antisenescence and osteogenic differentiation, and with increasing evidence from further studies, RJ supplementation may be found beneficial for the use of MSCs in bone engineering regenerative medicine or cell therapy.

The endogenous antioxidant ability of royal jelly in Drosophila is independent of Keap1/Nrf2 by activating oxidoreductase activity.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a biologically active substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees. It is widely claimed that RJ reduces oxidative stress. However, the antioxidant activity of RJ has mostly been determined by in vitro chemical detection methods or by external administration drugs that cause oxidative stress. Whether RJ can clear the endogenous production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells remains largely unknown. Here, we systematically investigated the antioxidant properties of RJ using several endogenous oxidative stress models of Drosophila. We found that RJ enhanced sleep quality of aging Drosophila, which is decreased due to an increase of oxidative damage with age. RJ supplementation improved survival and suppressed ROS levels in gut cells of flies upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide or to the neurotoxic agent paraquat. Moreover, RJ supplementation moderated levels of ROS in endogenous gut cells and extended lifespan after exposure of flies to heat stress. Sleep deprivation leads to accumulation of ROS in the gut cells, and RJ attenuated the consequences of oxidative stress caused by sleep loss and prolonged lifespan. Mechanistically, RJ prevented cell oxidative damage caused by heat stress or sleep deprivation, with the antioxidant activity in vivo independent of Keap1/Nrf2 signaling. RJ supplementation activated oxidoreductase activity in the guts of flies, suggesting its ability to inhibit endogenous oxidative stress and maintain health, possibly in humans.

The effects of royal jelly supplementation on anthropometric indices: a GRADE-assessed systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Inconsistent data are available about the effect of royal jelly supplementation on anthropometric indices in humans. This systematic review and meta-analysis was done to summarize data from available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of royal jelly supplementation on anthropometric indices such as body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), and fat mass (FM) in adults. We systematically searched Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases up to March 2023. All RCTs assessing the effect of royal jelly on anthropometric indices were included. Data were pooled using the random-effects method and were expressed as weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were also performed. Out of 1,492 records, 10 studies that enrolled 512 participants were included. There was no significant effect on BW (WMD: -0.29 kg, 95% CI: -1.24, 0.65, p = 0.543), BMI (WMD: 0.11 kg/m2, 95% CI: -0.29, 0.52, p = 0.583), and FM (WMD: 0.02%, 95% CI: -0.41, 0.46, p = 0.84). However, we observed a reduction in BW and BMI following royal jelly intake in subgroup of royal jelly dosage <3,000 mg/day. Although the royal jelly supplementation significantly reduced BW and BMI at the dosages <3,000 mg/day, until additional trials have been conducted to assess the effects on obesity measures, it is best to prescribe royal jelly with caution.

Reversal Effects of Royal Jelly and Propolis Against Cadmium-Induced Hepatorenal Toxicity in Rats

Heavy metal toxicity is an exponentially growing health problem. In this study, we aimed to assess the protective properties of propolis and royal jelly against cadmium adverse effects. Thirty-two adult male rats were included in our study; kidney and liver functions, histopathological changes, and the level of oxidative stress were evaluated in rats exposed to a daily dose of 4.5 mg cadmium per kilogram of body weight for 1 month and those cotreated simultaneously with either propolis (50 mg/kg/day) or royal jelly (200 mg/kg/day) with cadmium compared to control animals. Cadmium-mediated hepatorenal toxicity was manifested as per the increased oxidative stress, function deterioration, and characteristic histopathological aberrations. The supplementation of royal jelly or propolis restores most of the affected parameters to a level similar to the control group. However, the parameters describing the grade of DNA damage and the interleukin-1β expression in the liver, as well as the levels of malondialdehyde and metallothionein, were slightly elevated compared to controls, despite the regular use of royal jelly or propolis. It is worth noting that better results were found in the case of royal jelly compared to propolis administration. Most likely, the ability of both products to chelate cadmium and contribute in reducing oxidative stress is of great importance. However, further investigations are needed to complement the knowledge about the expected nutritional and medicinal values.Graphical abstract

The effects of royal jelly supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, mental health, cognitive function, quality of life, and clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundStroke is a debilitating disease that affects over 15 million people worldwide each year, resulting in the death of one-third of those people and severe disability in two-thirds of survivors. Previous studies reported various health benefits of Royal jelly in the context of its anti-inflammatory properties. We will aim to investigate the effects of royal jelly supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammatory mediators, mental health, cognitive function, quality of life, and clinical outcomes of patients with ischemic stroke.MethodsThe present study will be a triple-blind randomized placebo trial. Patients who meet our eligibility criteria will be assigned to the intervention or the control groups to receive allocated intervention for 12 weeks. Individuals of the intervention group will consume 1000 mg of Royal jelly dragee daily after breakfast. Subjects of the control group will receive a placebo dragee identical to the Royal jelly dragee. The severity of the stroke, cognitive function, mental health, quality of life, clinical outcomes, and biochemical measures will be assessed at baseline and post-intervention.DiscussionThe current study is designed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of royal jelly supplementation in a randomized, parallel, two-arms, single-center, triple-blind, placebo-controlled manner. This study will provide evidence as a phase III clinical trial.Trial registrationIRCT20180818040827N4, registered on 16 October 2021. https://www.irct.ir/trial/59275.

Amelioration of Osteoarthritis Development by Daily Oral Supplementation of Royal Jelly.

Royal jelly (RJ), an essential food for the queen honeybee, has a variety of biological activities. Although RJ exerts preventive effects on various lifestyle-related diseases, such as osteoporosis and obesity, no study evaluated the effect of RJ on the development of osteoarthritis (OA), the most common degenerative joint disease. Here, we showed that daily oral administration of raw RJ significantly prevented OA development in vivo following surgically-induced knee joint instability in mice. Furthermore, in vitro experiments using chondrocytes, revealed that raw RJ significantly reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and enzymes critical for the degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Similar results were observed after treatment with 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, the most abundant and unique fatty acid in raw RJ. Our results suggest that oral supplementation with RJ would benefit the maintenance of joint health and prophylaxis against OA, possibly by suppressing the activity of inflammatory cytokines and ECM-degrading enzymes.

The effect of a period of Pilates and the supplementation of Royal Jelly on inflammatory indexes of diabetic obese women

Background: The use of supplements, herbal extracts, and exercise training for the treatment of diseases and metabolic disorders has increased among people. Thus, the aim of this study was the study of The effect of a period of Pilates and the supplementation of Royal Jelly on inflammatory indexes of diabetic obese women. Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study 44 volunteer diabetic obese women participated and They were randomly divided into Four groups of 11 controls, Royal Jelly, Pilates, Pilates + Royal Jelly. Pilates exercise training was performed during 8 weeks (3 sessions per week, 60 min per session). The subjects consumed a supplement group of 1000 mg of royal Jelly daily for 8 weeks. covariance analysis test were used to examine the in-group differences and between the research groups. Results: The results showed that eight weeks of Pilates and Royal Jelly Supplements significantly reduced the TNF-α, CRP and IL-6 diabetic women(P=0.001). In addition, serum glucose and serum insulin also decreased significantly in during eight weeks of Pilates and supplementation of the royal Jelly(P=0.001). Vo2max significantly Increase in training, training + supplement groups (P=0.001). Conclusion: According to obtained results, it appears that Pilates training plus Royal Jelly extract consumption have better effect on serum inflammatory factors in obsess women with diabetes type 2

Effects of Royal Jelly Supplementation on Dry Mouth Sensation in Patients with Normal Saliva Function: A Randomised Clinical Study

Introduction: In several cases, dry mouth sensation with normal salivary function is not diagnosed as an abnormality and this condition has no standardised treatments. Moreover, it is significantly associated with psychological disorders such as depression, trait anxiety and perceived stress. Based on recent studies, daily oral royal jelly supplementation (1000 mg) for eight weeks has beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms such as anxiety. However, there are no studies on the effects of royal jelly supplementation on dry mouth sensation in patients with normal salivary function. Further, only few clinical trials have long-term follow-up greater than eight weeks. Aim: To evaluate the effects of royal jelly tablets on dry mouth sensation in patients with normal salivary function. Materials and Methods: This randomised, double-blind, crossover clinical trial included 15 adults with an unstimulated salivary flow of &gt;0.1 mL/min who had a chief complaint of dry mouth sensation and those without any salivary gland disease. This study was performed at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, between November 2019 and April 2020. The royal jelly tablet contained 400 mg of enzyme-treated royal jelly powder and each participant received either two tablets of enzyme-treated royal jelly (800 mg) or placebo daily for 12 weeks. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate objective dry mouth sensation and the Japanese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) were applied to assess psychological status and social dysfunction. The differences in VAS, HADS and GHQ-12 scores over time between the enzyme-treated royal jelly and placebo groups were analysed using repeated-measure analysis of variance and the post-hoc paired t-test. Results: The 4- and 12-week VAS scores between the enzymetreated royal jelly and placebo groups significantly differed (p-value=0.041 and 0.043, respectively). The 12-week HADS and GHQ-12 scores between the enzyme-treated royal jelly tablet and placebo groups differed significantly (p-value=0.040 and 0.046, respectively). Moreover, the HADS scores of the enzyme-treated royal jelly tablet group significantly decreased. Conclusion: Daily supplementation with enzyme-treated royal jelly (800 mg) for 12 weeks was effective against dry mouth sensation in patients with normal saliva function.

Effect of the Dietary Royal Jelly Supplementation in Ewes of Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population on the Body Weight of the Lambs and the Milk Composition

The aim of the experiment was to assess the effect of the royal jelly supplementation in the diet of ewes from Bulgarian Dairy Synthetic Population on the body weight of the lambs and the milk composition. The trial was carried out with 20 ewes and their lambs, reared in the experimental sheep farm of the Institute of Animal Science- Kostinbrod, Bulgaria and lasted 30 days during the suckling period. The animals had the same date of lambing and lambs’ body weight, and were divided into two groups, each containing 10 ewes. The feeding was according to the standards for this category of ruminants with ad libitum access to water, as each ewe from the supplemented group received twice a week 300 mg freeze dried royal jelly. The body weight of the lambs was controlled at the beginning and at the end of the trial period, and the weight gain was calculated. The chemical and the fatty acid composition of the milk was measured in individual samples. The fatty acid composition was used to calculate the atherogenic (AI) and thrombogenic (TI) indices. The live weight (LW) and the average daily gain (ADG) differed between the groups of lambs according to the dietary royal jelly supplementation. The lambs of the ewes that had received the supplement displayed higher LW (P=0.0138) and ADG (P=0.0062). The physicochemical composition of the milk showed lower fat content (P=0.0142) and higher density (P=0.0200) in the ewes receiving royal jelly. Significant increase of C18:0 and decrease of C17:1 proportion was observed. Additionally, the contents of the polyunsaturated С20:4n-6, С22:5n-3 and C22:6n-3 was considerably diminished in the milk of the group that received royal jelly. The results so far demonstrated the potential of the royal jelly to manipulate the fatty acid profile of the ewes’ milk.

Effect of High-intensity Interval Training with Royal Jelly Consumption on Serum Levels of Glucose, Insulin, and Insulin Resistance Index of Overweight and Obese Middle-aged Men: A Quasi-experimental Study

Background: Royal jelly is a supplement with various vitamins and active ingredients, which can create good physiological adaptations in the body along with training. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with royal jelly on serum glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance index of overweight and obese middle-aged men. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 60 men were randomly assigned to four groups: (1) control, (2) training, (3) royal jelly, and (4) training + royal jelly. The training and training + royal jelly groups implemented the exercise program. The HIIT protocol included eight weeks of high intensity (85 - 95% of the maximum heart rate) and active rest periods (60 - 70% of the maximal heart rate). The royal jelly group used one 1000 mg capsule daily. Extra-group data analysis was conducted by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test, and in-group analysis was carried out by dependent t test using SPSS version 22 software. A P value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A significant increase was observed in weight from the pretest to posttest in the groups of royal supplement (P = 0.001), training (P = 0.001), and training + royal supplement (P = 0.0001). However, blood glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance index showed a significant decrease between posttests as well as pretest and posttest groups (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with royal jelly supplementation could improve blood glucose and insulin levels in obese or overweight people prone to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Royal jelly plus coenzyme Q10 supplementation improves high-intensity interval exercise performance via changes in plasmatic and salivary biomarkers of oxidative stress and muscle damage in swimmers: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

ABSTRACTBackgroundExcessive production of free radicals caused by many types of exercise results in oxidative stress, which leads to muscle damage, fatigue, and impaired performance. Supplementation with royal jelly (RJ) or coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has been shown to attenuate exercise-induced oxidant stress in damaged muscle and improve various aspects of exercise performance in many but not all studies. Nevertheless, the effects of treatments based on RJ plus CoQ10 supplementation, which may be potentially beneficial for reducing oxidative stress and enhancing athletic performance, remain unexplored. This study aimed to examine whether oral RJ and CoQ10 co-supplementation could improve high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) performance in swimmers, inhibiting exercise-induced oxidative stress and muscle damage.MethodsTwenty high-level swimmers were randomly allocated to receive either 400 mg of RJ and 60 mg of CoQ10 (RJQ) or matching placebo (PLA) once daily for 10 days. Exercise performance was evaluated at baseline, and then reassessed at day 10 of intervention, using a HIIE protocol. Diene conjugates (DC), Schiff bases (SB), and creatine kinase (CK) were also measured in blood plasma and saliva before and immediately after HIIE in both groups.ResultsHIIE performance expressed as number of points according to a single assessment system developed and approved by the International Swimming Federation (FINA points) significantly improved in RJQ group (p = 0.013) compared to PLA group. Exercise-induced increase in DC, SB, and CK levels in plasma and saliva significantly diminished only in RJQ group (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that oral RJQ administration for 10 days was significantly associated with reductions in HIIE-induced increases in plasmatic and salivary DC, SB, and CK levels compared to PLA. Principal component analysis revealed that swimmers treated with RJQ are grouped by both plasmatic and salivary principal components (PC) into a separate cluster compared to PLA. Strong negative correlation between the number of FINA points and plasmatic and salivary PC1 values was observed in both intervention groups.ConclusionThe improvements in swimmers’ HIIE performance were due in significant part to RJQ-induced reducing in lipid peroxidation and muscle damage in response to exercise. These findings suggest that RJQ supplementation for 10 days is potentially effective for enhancing HIIE performance and alleviating oxidant stress.AbbreviationsRJ, royal jelly; CoQ10, coenzyme Q10; HIIE, high-intensity interval exercise; DC, diene conjugates; SB, Schiff bases; CK, creatine kinase; RJQ, royal jelly plus coenzyme Q10; PLA, placebo; FINA points, points according to a single assessment system developed and approved by the International Swimming Federation; ROS, reactive oxygen species; 10H2DA, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid; AMPK, 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase; FoxO3, forkhead box O3; MnSOD, manganese-superoxide dismutase; CAT, catalase; E, optical densities; PCA, principal component analysis; PC, principal component; MCFAs, medium-chain fatty acids; CaMKKβ, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase β; TBARS, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; MDA, malondialdehyde.

Response of zebrafish to royal jelly supplementation and differences in stocking density

Dietary supplementation with royal jelly (RJ) may improve growth, antioxidant gene expression, and intestinal antioxidant capacity, and possibly mitigate effects of stress induced by high stocking density (HSD) in zebrafish (Danio rerio). Effects of HSD and RJ supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant gene expression, and intestinal antioxidant capacity in zebrafish were investigated. A total of 240 four-month-old zebrafish were used in a 2 x 2 factorial design, with four treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of normal stocking density (NSD) (1 fish/L) and high stocking density (HSD) (3 fish/L) and an unsupplemented commercial diet (0RJ) and commercial diet supplemented with 10% RJ (10RJ). The experiment lasted 25 days. Daily weight gain, final body length, specific growth rate, and survival were recorded. On day 25, six fish per treatment were euthanised and their intestines analysed for antioxidant capacity, and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) and catalase (CAT) gene expression. There were no effects of diet or SD and diet interaction on growth. High stocking density decreased daily weight gain by 25.31%, body length by 2.70%, and survival by 16.85%. Stocking density (SD) and diet interaction influenced intestinal SOD2 and CAT expression and antioxidant capacity. The HSD/0RJ group had lower antioxidant gene expression and antioxidant capacity than the HSD/10RJ and NSD/0RJ groups. Supplementation with RJ did not mitigate the harmful effects of stocking stress. These results indicate that HSD promotes transcriptional suppression of gene encoding enzymes that form the first line of antioxidant defence, resulting in reduced elimination of toxic substances and occurrence of intestinal oxidative stress.