How to use Propolis
Like Manuka honey, propolis is typically ingested. In general, it comes in the form of tablets, capsules, drops, lozenges, sprays and even candies.
How much propolis should you ingest?
That depends. Propolis’s bioflavonoids and CAPE (Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester) are responsible for its protective properties, and their concentrations vary between products. You can usually work out their concentrations through product labels.
To keep things simple, most propolis manufacturers include dosage guidance with propolis products.
How propolis works
While research into how propolis works continues, it’s believed that the natural bioflavonoids and CAPE contents of propolis are what give it its protective powers. CAPE in particular has been shown to have antiviral, antimitogenic, anticarcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties.
Thanks to its unique environment, New Zealand propolis has high levels of both bioflavonoids and CAPE – sometimes as much as six times the concentrations found in propolis from other countries.
The health benefits of propolis
Propolis is an antibacterial, an anti inflammatory, antiviral, anti-allergic, anti-carcinogenic and an antioxidant. With such a wide range of properties, its health benefits are extensive.
