Propolis for Detox?! My Beekeeper’s Naturals Review

I almost never talk about supplements on The Filtery.

While I think supplements are an important part of holistic wellbeing for many people (myself included!), I also think they’re more of a personalized thing. Most folks should work with a practitioner to figure out which vitamins and minerals they may be deficient in and then supplement intentionally.

But, I’m making an exception today to tell you about a supplement that I think shows some awesome potential when it comes to not only supporting your overall wellbeing, but specifically in helping with general detoxification and resilience against environmental toxins: bee propolis! 🐝

Specifically, I’m reviewing my current favorite propolis brand: Beekeeper’s Naturals.

I’ll summarize what propolis is and why it has so much potential for wellbeing and detoxification, and then I’ll share my thoughts on several of Beekeeper’s Naturals products, including their famous propolis throat spray.

P.S. If you do decide to make a purchase from Beekeeper’s Naturals after reading this article, you can use my code THEFILTERY for 20% off your order!

This review is sponsored and contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase. As always, we only make recommendations that are genuine.

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First: What’s Propolis?

Propolis is Beekeeper’s Naturals star ingredient. It’s in pretty much all of their products.

If you don’t know what propolis is, it’s like “bee glue.” It’s a compound that bees make out of tree sap. They line their hives with it to help prevent the growth of fungus, microbes, and other foreign invaders.

It’s incredibly rich in antioxidants (specifically polyphenols), vitamins A, C, and E, amino acids, potassium, and magnesium.

Because of this, propolis has been shown to play a beneficial role in long-term health in a wide variety of ways, including fighting free radicals and combating oxidative stress. I outlined the potential health benefits in depth here. 

Despite all of the potential health benefits of propolis, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not a “cure-all” product. Although one group of researchers literally called it a “magical remedy” in one of their scientific studies, it’s not really magical, and you shouldn’t expect it to be! Taking propolis may be one beneficial part of a larger healthy lifestyle, but it should not replace individualized and targeted medicine.

That said, I do really love and appreciate how Beekeeper’s Naturals products help me to fill in the gaps where my food falls short. For a variety of reasons (which we won’t get into right now!), I’m almost certainly not getting the full dose of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants I need from my food each day.

So I like that I can fill those gaps with a supplement that still comes from a real, natural, whole food source (aka not just popping a pill that was made in a lab).

How Propolis Can Support Your Body’s Resilience Against Environmental Toxins

In addition to the wide range of health benefits cited above, propolis has some very cool abilities to help us overcome the negative effects of the toxic chemicals around us.

I took a deep dive into this topic here, and I highly encourage you to check that out. But here is a summary of the things propolis can do when it comes to environmental toxins:

• It may help support general detoxification (including helping the liver, kidneys, and bowel—aka our detox organs!—function optimally).
• It may help to counteract the carcinogens we can’t avoid.
• It may “undo” the negative effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
• It may help decrease allergy & asthma symptoms from environmental pollutants.
• It has antifungal properties, which may be helpful for those with mold-related illness (like me!).

Pretty cool, right!? You can dig deeper into the research here.

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How Bee Propolis May Help You Fight Environmental Toxins

Could bee propolis “undo” some of the effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals? Might it help counteract carcinogens? The research is promising!

All that being said, keep in mind that Beekeeper’s Naturals products are not meant to treat or cure any specific disease. If you have a bleeding disorder or a severe allergy to bees, honey, or pollen, you should consult with your doctor before starting a propolis supplement.

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My Personal Beekeeper’s Naturals Reviews

Now that you have an idea of what propolis can do for you, let me tell you about a few of their products and why I like them.

Propolis Throat Spray Review

Great for: Everyday use (prevention), scratchy throat relief, travel

Beekeeper’s Naturals Propolis Throat Spray is their star product. It’s a daily immune support throat spray that has only three ingredients: propolis, vegetable glycerin, and purified water.

It can give you all of the health benefits I talked about above, but it can also help with things like a scratchy throat if you’re fighting off a cold or similar illness. So, you can use it daily as a preventative measure, and you can up your dosage if you’re fighting off a scratchy throat, cold, flu, or other acute illness.

I really like this spray! It’s super easy to use and tastes sweet.

Maybe I’ll update this post the next time I get sick to let you know how long I was able to go without getting sick while using this product. 😉

(P.S. They also have a kids’ version, which is basically just sweeter and has less propolis.)

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3-in-1 Gut Health Review (Pre- Pro- Postbiotic)

Great for: Everyday gut health and bowel regularity, including helping with leaky gut

Even though we’ve been talking about the importance of gut health for a good decade now, I honestly think we’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to learning just how important our gut microbiome is for overall health, longevity, and disease prevention.

Sure, having a balanced gut microbiome is important for digestion, but it’s also important for mental health and brain function, immunity, skin health, and more.

Not only that, but probiotics have also been found to help with resilience against environmental toxins, too. For example, a couple of specific probiotic strains have been found to make BPA and various types of plastic “less toxic” in the body (similar to what propolis has also been shown to do!).

Similarly, probiotics have been shown to help the body get rid of heavy metals as well as decrease the availability of heavy metals in food.

So, when you combine probiotics with propolis, your body is getting quite a lot of support against the environmental toxins in and around you!

I’ve been using Beekeeper’s Naturals 3-in-1 Complete Gut Health product for several weeks. It is an encapsulated prebiotic (as propolis), probiotic (with 2 well-studied strains), and postbiotic (tributyrin).

I’ve been taking probiotics in general for years now, so I didn’t notice an immediate significant effect after I started taking Beekeeper’s version. But if you’re just starting on probiotics for the first time (or for the first time in a while), there’s a really good chance you’ll experience things like:

• more regulated bowel movements
• less gas & bloating
• less stomach pain
• and maybe even a reduction in things like acid reflux and indigestion

What I can say for me personally, is that when it comes to these kinds of acute effects, the Beekeeper’s Naturals Gut Health capsules seem to work just as well as my other favorite probiotic brands! I didn’t notice any major changes, for better or for worse.

I do really appreciate that this product contains tributyrin, which is the “postbiotic.” This molecule produces short-chain fatty acids in the colon, which fuel the cells that line the gut. It supports tight junctions in the intestinal lining and strengthens the gut barrier. In other words: it helps fight leaky gut! This is super important for me personally, as I’ve struggled with leaky gut for quite some time. 

And of course, I love that I’m getting a dose of propolis with my gut health pill as well.

I will say that I wish there were more probiotic strains in the capsules. (There are only two.) That said, I checked one of the other probiotic brands I use a lot (which contains a lot of different strains), and that one does not contain either of the ones Beekeeper’s does.

This is why I actually like to rotate my probiotic brands in order to give my gut as much variety of probiotic strains (as well as pre- and postbiotics) as possible. So, I think the Beekeeper’s Naturals Gut Health capsules are still a great product to have in my gut-health arsenal.

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Propolis + Liposomal Vitamin C for Immune Support

Great for: Extra support & prevention during cold & flu season

I personally take vitamin C regularly. While it of course helps with immunity, it’s also another thing I’ve noticed helps with bowel regularity as well.

Beekeeper’s Naturals’ Propolis + Vitamin C comes in little packets that are super easy to throw in your bag and take on the go if you need to.

If you’re not sure about what the “liposomal” part of the equation means, it’s basically a certain way that the vitamin molecule is wrapped up and delivered in order to maximize absorption.

The vitamin C is basically wrapped up in a double-layer structure that mimics your body’s cell membrane. That way, it can be easily accepted by the body and absorbed into the bloodstream.

I think this is a really important part of the equation… We need to make sure that the vitamins we’re taking can actually be utilized by our bodies!

I think this is a great product. The packets are super tasty, too. They’ve got a little honey in them for added sweetness. 🍯

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Royal Jelly Brain Fuel

Great for: Help with brain fog!

I wanted to try Beekeeper’s Naturals Royal Jelly Brain Fuel because I have struggled with brain fog a lot in the past. It’s something I’m always trying to prevent. (Who has the time!?)

These “shots” come in little glass vials (I took one right before I started working on this article!) and they contain royal jelly and adaptogens (ginkgo biloba and bacopa monnieri).

Royal jelly is made by worker bees and fed to the queen bee (hence the name) for her nutrition. Similarly to propolis, royal jelly contains lots of different vitamins and antioxidants. It can have many of the same health-protecting effects that propolis does, including cognitive performance.

Ginkgo biloba and bacopa monnieri have also been found to have various brain-boosting benefits, including better memory, improved processing speed, reduction in ADHD symptoms, and more.

Personally, I have found the Brain Fuel to help me stay focused on the task at hand and helps me to go longer without the fogginess setting in.

I like the taste of it, too… It’s mostly sweet with a little bit of an “earthy” taste underneath. It doesn’t have a high viscosity like honey does, so it’s easy to drink.

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Soothing Lozenges

Great for: Scratchy throat relief

Beekeeper’s Naturals also offers Soothing Lozenges, which come in:

• Regular
• Elderberry
• Ginger Lemon
• Mint Eucalyptus
• and Kids’ Lollipops

So far, the only one I’ve tried so far is the Mint Eucalyptus. (Although, I really want to try the Ginger Lemon one next—I bet that one is great for digestion after a meal!)

These lozenges are made with propolis, vitamin D, zinc, and whatever “extras” are added for the various flavors.

I, like many Americans, tend to be vitamin D deficient. And as we all learned during the pandemic, zinc is crucial for fighting off acute illness too! So I love that they include these two vitamins.

The Mint Eucalyptus one definitely fits the “soothing” in the name. It’s certainly minty (honestly, it could double as a breath mint if you need it to!), BUT it’s not too overpowering the way some minty cough drops are (where they make your eyes water!).

Definitely recommend!

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Other Things I Love About Beekeeper’s Naturals

Now, I haven’t tried all of Beekeeper’s Naturals’ products yet. In addition to the ones I’ve mentioned here, they also have:

• Superfood Honey 🍯
• Bee Pollen (put it in your smoothie! on your oatmeal! sprinkle it on your toast!)
• Sinus Support Capsules
• Nasal Spray (for immediate congestion relief)
• Cough Syrup (which comes in daytime, nighttime, daytime kids, and nighttime kids)
• and of course, they have plenty of bundles and packs available as well.

I definitely want to try the Cough Syrup the next time I’m sick as an alternative to Dayquil/NyQuil.

In addition to everything I’ve already listed above, here are some more things I really like about Beekeeper’s Naturals products:

• They’re available at Target, making it easier to pick up last minute
• They’re keto, paleo, gluten-free, and soy-free. They’re also free from things like artificial colors and preservatives.
• Many of the products are super convenient and easy for travel. You can just throw a bottle of Propolis Spray, a Vitamin C pack, and a vial of Brain Fuel in your bag.
• They do third-party testing for pesticides and heavy metals.
• And of course, I love that they support the bees! We need the bees! 🐝

(P.S. Side note about the testing for pesticides: You might be wondering if Beekeeper’s naturals products are certified organic. Well, honey and bee products actually can’t be certified organic by the USDA. That’s because bees fly around foraging to a variety of different areas, which is something beekeeper’s don’t have control of. There’s no way of guaranteeing that everything they pollinated was organic.

That said, Beekeeper’s Naturals does say they always ensure their green apiaries are remote and far from areas of heavy chemical use.)

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What I Don’t Love About Beekeeper’s Naturals

There’s not much I don’t love about Beekeeper’s Naturals. But I will say:

• It’s not low-waste. Many of the products come in individually-packaged servings, which is not ideal for waste-reduction. (Although, I will say that this is the same characteristic that makes these products great for traveling!) The Gut Health 3-in-1 does have a refill option, though.
• I wish there were more probiotic strains in the 3-in-1 Gut Health capsule. (I explained this above.)

The last thing worth noting here is that propolis has been shown to have sensitizing effects in some people, primarily beekeepers. What this means is that you can develop an allergy to propolis when you use it repeatedly over time.

This is not likely to happen for most folks, but it is something to be aware of. If you use propolis for a while and then suddenly start to notice adverse effects, stop taking it and see if your symptoms go away.

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My Beekeeper’s Naturals Discount Code

So, there you have it. I definitely recommend giving Beekeeper’s Naturals products a try, and I’m super excited about the potential for propolis to help support our bodies against environmental toxins.

If you want to try Beekeeper’s Naturals for yourself, use the code THEFILTERY for 20% off.

And to stay updated on their newest products, learn more about what they’re doing to help save the bees, and more, be sure to connect with them on Instagram, too!

If you’ve used propolis products in the past and have found them to be beneficial, let me know what differences you noticed in the comments!

And if you found this helpful and want to stay updated on the latest guides, news, and more, be sure to sign up for our newsletter!

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As a reminder: nothing in this article is medical advice. You should always talk to your doctor before starting a new supplement or changing your regimen, especially if you have a chronic condition or sensitivities. Neither The Filtery nor Beekeeper’s Naturals are liable for any negative reactions or health issues that may arise from consuming these products. Please keep in mind that these products aren’t meant to “cure” anything either, and they should not replace a more holistic healthy lifestyle and/or targeted medicine. “Bee” smart!