Propolis Supplementation in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

by | Jun 11, 2024 | 2023, Kidney Health, Propolis, Recent Articles

Written by Harold Oster, MD. Results suggest that supplementation with propolis may improve the quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a progressive decline in kidney function, often due to hypertension or diabetes. It affects more than ten percent of the global population and is associated with cardiovascular disease, early mortality, and decreased quality of life1. Propolis, sometimes referred to as bee glue, is a substance produced by bees. Bees of certain species gather resinous substances from plants near their hives and mix them with beeswax and saliva to form propolis. The bees use propolis to seal cracks in the hive, strengthening it against invaders and the environment. Propolis has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may be beneficial to human health2.

Paniz Anvarifard et al. studied the effects of propolis supplementation on kidney function, oxidative stress, blood pressure, and quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease. Forty-four patients between twenty and eighty years old were randomly assigned to two groups. The intervention group consumed one capsule containing 125 mg of propolis twice daily for twelve weeks, while the control group took a placebo. The patients were assessed at baseline for demographics and at regular intervals for blood pressure and body mass index. Blood was analyzed at the beginning and end of the study for creatinine, hemoglobin A1C, glucose, insulin, and pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance (PAB), a test to determine how an intervention affects an individual’s oxidative stress3. A 24-hour urine analysis was performed for proteinuria. Health-related quality of life was assessed at baseline and the end of the study with the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short-Form (KDQOL-SF), a quantitative 36-item questionnaire evaluating components of quality of life affected by kidney disease4.

The authors noted the following:

  • Based on inclusion criteria, thirty-six participants completed the study.
  • At baseline, the intervention and control groups did not differ significantly in demographics, body mass index, blood pressure, KDQOL-SF, or laboratory tests, except the control group had a higher hemoglobin A1C.
  • In the study group, KDQOL-SF improved in the following components: symptoms and problems related to kidney disease, the burden of kidney disease, measures of overall health, and physical performance.
  • No improvement in KDQOL-SF was noted in the control group.
  • No significant changes were noted in blood pressure, kidney function, proteinuria, body mass index, diabetes control, or PAB in either group.No significant side effects were reported.

Results suggest that supplementation with propolis is associated with an improvement in health-related quality of life in patients with chronic kidney disease. A limitation of the study is its short duration.

Source: Anvarifard, Paniz, Alireza Ostadrahimi, Mohammadreza Ardalan, Maryam Anbari, and Zohreh Ghoreishi. “The effects of propolis on pro-oxidant–antioxidant balance, glycemic control, and quality of life in chronic kidney disease: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” Scientific Reports 13, no. 1 (2023): 9884.

© The Author(s) 2023

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Posted June 11, 2024.

Harold Oster, MD graduated from medical school in Miami, Florida in 1992 and moved to Minnesota in 2004. After more than 25 years of practicing Internal Medicine, he recently retired. Dr. Oster is especially interested in nutrition, weight management, and disease prevention. Visit his website at haroldoster.com.

References:

  1. Hill NR, Fatoba ST, Oke JL, et al. Global Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease – A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. PLoS One. 2016;11(7):e0158765. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0158765
  2. Zullkiflee N, Taha H, Usman A. Propolis: Its Role and Efficacy in Human Health and Diseases. Molecules. Sep 19 2022;27(18)doi:10.3390/molecules27186120
  3. Zahedi Avval F, Mahmoudi N, Nosrati Tirkani A, Jarahi L, Hamidi Alamdari D, Sadjadi SA. Determining Pro-Oxidant Antioxidant Balance (PAB) and Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC) in Patients with Schizophrenia. Iran J Psychiatry. Jul 2018;13(3):222-226.
  4. Peipert JD, Bentler PM, Klicko K, Hays RD. Psychometric Properties of the Kidney Disease Quality of Life 36-Item Short-Form Survey (KDQOL-36) in the United States. American journal of kidney diseases : the official journal of the National Kidney Foundation. Apr 2018;71(4):461-468. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2017.07.020