by LELA
(KY)
I read in a book that taking royal jelly will help lower high blood sugar. Is this true for someone with type 2 diabetes?
Quick answer: Royal jelly may produce a small reduction in fasting blood sugar in some people, but the evidence is limited and inconsistent. It has not been proven to control type 2 diabetes, lower HbA1c reliably or prevent complications. Do not use it instead of prescribed medicine, food planning, physical activity or glucose monitoring.
Royal jelly is a substance produced by worker bees to feed the queen bee and larvae. It contains water, proteins, sugars, fats and other compounds. It is different from honey, propolis and bee pollen.
Several small trials have examined royal jelly in people with type 2 diabetes. Some reported lower fasting glucose or improved insulin-resistance measurements after about eight weeks. However, studies used different products and doses, involved few participants and were too short to show whether royal jelly prevents diabetes complications.
The strongest summary is cautious. A 2023 meta-analysis of ten randomized trials found no statistically significant overall improvement in glycemic measures. A subgroup of longer trials showed an average fasting-glucose reduction of about 4.3 mg/dL, which is modest and does not establish royal jelly as a diabetes treatment. An earlier systematic review rated the evidence low to very low quality.
For these reasons, royal jelly should be considered an unproven supplement—not a glucose-lowering medicine. See the broader review of natural blood sugar supplements and their safety.
Do not take royal jelly if you have asthma or a history of allergies unless an allergy specialist specifically advises it. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration requires royal jelly products to warn that severe allergic reactions and rare fatalities have occurred, especially in people with asthma or allergies.
Stop taking it and seek emergency help for wheezing, difficulty breathing, swelling of the tongue, lips or throat, widespread hives, severe dizziness or collapse.
First show the exact product and ingredient list to your doctor or pharmacist. Review your diabetes medicines, asthma or allergy history, anticoagulants, kidney and liver health, pregnancy status and usual glucose pattern. Do not copy doses from a book or small research trial.
If your clinician agrees to a monitored trial, keep food, activity and medication stable; record fasting and after-meal readings; and stop for side effects. Do not reduce or stop diabetes medicine because one or two readings improve. HbA1c and treatment changes should be reviewed with your diabetes team.
Bottom line: Royal jelly is interesting in early research, but it is not a proven treatment for high blood sugar. Reliable diabetes care remains more important: prescribed medication, balanced meals, regular activity, weight management when needed and appropriate glucose and HbA1c monitoring.
Seek urgent help for confusion, fainting, seizure, inability to swallow, severe weakness, repeated vomiting, dehydration, deep or rapid breathing, fruity-smelling breath, moderate or high ketones, or glucose that remains dangerously high or low. Review the guide to dangerous blood sugar levels.
Written by Dr. Albana Greca Sejdini, MD, MMedSc
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ruden Cakoni, MD, Endocrinologist
Last reviewed: July 2026
Educational only—not personal medical advice. Do not start, stop or combine diabetes medicine, insulin or supplements without speaking with your healthcare professional.