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How many of you beekeepers can attest to this?
 
Are there any references on this subject?/
 
Paul Cronshaw DC
Beekeeper
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BEEKEEPERS HAVE LOWER RATES OF ALLERGY, ARTHRITIS
BY JASON KAHN
c.1995 Medical Tribune News Service
 
           NEW YORK _ Beekeepers get stung an average of 2,000 times a
year, but they may have little reason to complain. A new study
shows that the stings may make them healthier.
           Researchers from Bridgeport, Conn., found that beekeepers are
less likely than average to suffer from allergies and arthritis,
and take fewer sick days per year than the average U.S. worker.
           The venom in bee stings is the reason, the scientists believe,
and they called for increased efforts to find the specific compound
in the venom that is responsible.
           A total of 936 beekeepers responded to a questionnaire asking
about their rates of disease and their overall health. About 11
percent of the beekeepers said they had some type of allergy, while
5 percent reported having arthritis. In the general population, the
rates are 15 percent and 12 percent, respectively.
           Beekeepers also took an average of 2.3 sick days per year,
compared to 7.6 per year in the general population, the scientists
reported here Tuesday (Feb. 28) at the annual meeting of the American
Academy of Allergy and Immunology.
           Lead researcher Dr. John Santilli, co-director of the allergy
research center at Bridgeport Hospital, said that bee venom may
work by affecting the immune system.
           ``I think we're at a point where we need to pull [the bee
venom] apart and find out what the active ingredient is,'' he said.
           The theory that bee venom may be an effective treatment for
certain types of arthritic conditions is centuries old, according
to Santilli. Studies in animals have suggested that bee venom
fights the inflammation typical of arthritis.
           Santilli said that while beekeepers often are seen on
television wearing protective gear, they seldom use it in the
field. ``These people walk around bare-chested,'' he said. ``They
love to get stung, and they're basically very healthy.''
           Donald Hoffman, a professor of pathology and laboratory
medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., said that
previous smaller studies also have shown lower rates of allergy and
arthritis among beekeepers. But these people may be healthier to
begin with, he noted.
           ``There is probably some selection bias here, because allergic
people are not likely to be in a situation where there is a lot of
pollen around, like open fields'' where beekeepers work, Hoffman
said.
           He was quick to point out, however, that bee venom contains a
number of compounds that are thought to have a positive impact on
health. Some are anti-inflammatory agents, while others stimulate
the heart.
           ``The biggest component of bee venom, though, is mellitin,
which interacts with hormones,'' Hoffman said. ``It is very
plausible that some of these agents can be beneficial. There's just
no objective evidence in humans at this point.''