Before it ends up in a bottle, propolis is first what bees use to seal and protect their hive. They make it from the resin that coats the buds of trees, which links it directly to gemmotherapy, the approach that works with those same buds. Depending on where it is harvested, propolis has neither the same colour nor the same profile: green propolis comes from Brazil, brown propolis from the temperate forests of Europe. Drops, spray, gummies or syrup, each form also matches a specific use and age. Here is how to find your way, from the hive to the right dose.
Propolis, a resin that bees collect from buds
A material made from buds
At the end of winter, before opening, the bud wraps itself in a sticky resin. It protects the bud from cold, damp and micro-organisms while it prepares the future shoot. Foraging bees collect this resin from buds and from the bark of certain trees, mainly poplar, but also birch, willow or alder. They carry it back to the hive in the small baskets on their hind legs, as they do with pollen.
Inside, the workers mix it with wax and with their own secretions. The result is a paste that is supple when it is warm, and hard and brittle when it is cold. The bees use it to narrow the hive entrance, plug cracks and coat the walls of the cells. In a space where several tens of thousands of individuals live, this resinous layer helps keep the environment healthier. It is this protective role, observed in bees, that led to an interest in propolis for the human body.
The link with gemmotherapy
Propolis and gemmotherapy therefore start from the same moment in the life of the tree. Gemmotherapy uses the fresh bud itself, picked at the very start of spring, when it concentrates all the vitality of the young shoot in the making. Propolis comes from the resinous coating that protects this bud, once it has been harvested and transformed by the bee.
The two approaches do not work at the same level. Propolis is mainly chosen for comfort felt at the surface, in the throat and mouth. The bud, for its part, is part of deeper work on the body's balance, over the length of a course. Among natural solutions, the starting point is conventional food supplements, then comes phytotherapy, which uses the mature plant, and finally gemmotherapy, which works with the youngest and most concentrated stage of the plant. Taking propolis and buds together brings these two levels of action together.
Green, brown or red propolis: why the colour changes
Its composition is never fixed. It depends on the trees the bees find around the hive, the season, the climate and even the bee species. Three main families stand out, and their colour first tells where they come from in the plant world.
Brown propolis, mainly from poplar buds
Poplar-type propolis is the most widespread in Europe and in temperate regions. Bees mainly collect the resins of poplar buds, but may also gather from other trees such as birch, willow or horse chestnut. Its composition therefore varies with its botanical and geographical origin, which explains the diversity of its compounds.
Green propolis: a harvest specific to Brazil
Green propolis comes from south-eastern Brazil, notably the state of Minas Gerais. There the bees forage on a wild shrub, Baccharis dracunculifolia, on its young shoots and buds. This shrub, from the Asteraceae family, gives the resin its green colour and a profile different from that of European propolis. It is known for its protective and purifying qualities.
A third family exists, red propolis, harvested from the mangrove trees of north-eastern Brazil. Rarer, it is still little present in Europe.
Why combine the two in one formula
Rather than choosing between one and the other, it is possible to bring their two profiles together. This is the approach of our formulas combining green and brown propolis, developed in our laboratories as extracts concentrated in pure propolis. Depending on needs, they come with plant extracts such as echinacea and with fresh buds, such as black alder.
When choosing, two pieces of information deserve to be read on the label before the others: the origin of the propolis (green, brown or both) and its concentration of pure propolis. A quality propolis is also harvested in a protected area, away from busy roads, and is never heated above 40 °C during its purification.
What propolis can bring through the seasons
As autumn approaches or at the end of winter, the body is under more strain. The dry air of heated homes, temperature swings and a busier pace can make the throat more sensitive and leave a feeling of passing tiredness. These are the periods when propolis is traditionally used.
In seasonal formulas, it is combined with active ingredients that carry these benefits: echinacea, which helps soothe the throat, and the black alder bud, which contributes to supporting natural defences. This is why it has its place among our solutions for natural defences. For the throat, forms taken in the mouth, such as the spray or the gummies, deposit the resin directly where the discomfort is felt. These uses fit with the solutions dedicated to throat and breathing comfort, where propolis often sits alongside honey or elderberry.
Buds complete this surface action with deeper work. The blackcurrant bud and the dog rose bud, picked as vegetation wakes up, often appear alongside propolis in seasonal formulas, to support the body until the end of winter. For the detail of the traditional uses of the resin, from the mouth to digestive comfort, our article on the benefits of propolis goes through them one by one.
Which form of propolis should you take?
All our propolis-based formulas are taken orally. The choice of a form depends mainly on three criteria: the need (for the throat or more general), the person's age and whether or not the formula contains alcohol.
Drops, a concentrated extract in mother tincture
Mother tincture is obtained by macerating raw propolis in alcohol, which extracts the resinous fraction. It is one of the most concentrated forms. For our adult drops, titrated at 45% vol. alcohol, the dose is 1 to 5 drops, 3 to 4 times a day, from the age of 18. The drops are placed directly under the tongue, without diluting them in water: the resin tends to stick to the walls of the glass instead of being absorbed. A junior version exists from the age of 6, at 3 to 6 drops, 3 times a day.
Spray and gummies, for direct contact with the throat
The spray is sprayed directly into the throat, 1 to 5 times a day depending on needs, and is reserved for adults. Its portable format slips into a bag and suits days spent outdoors. The gummies melt slowly in the mouth and prolong contact with the throat, up to 4 a day for adults. Their junior version is given from the age of 6, up to 9 gummies a day.
A slight tingling in the mouth may appear when taking it: it comes from the natural compounds of the resin and usually disappears quickly.
Syrups and single-dose vials, gentler formats
The adult syrup blends propolis with elderberries, honey and fresh buds of beech, poplar and hazel. Gentler in the mouth, it may suit sensitive throats and evening doses. The junior syrup is intended for children from the age of 6, at a maximum of 5 ml 3 times a day.
The single-dose vial, finally, is drunk once a day, in the morning on an empty stomach, from the age of 18. It combines green and brown propolis, fresh birch sap and blackcurrant and dog rose buds in a single dose, convenient for a course while travelling.
When and for how long should you take propolis?
Two uses stand out. As prevention, it is taken before the start of winter or at the change of season, as a course. Occasionally, you think of it at the first signs of throat discomfort, with a local form such as the spray or the gummies, which are kept within reach.
A propolis course lasts 3 weeks, then is paused. It can be resumed later in the season, after a break. To keep the approach going over time, a course of buds can take over: in gemmotherapy, the usual dose is 5 to 15 drops a day. Our guidelines for easing sore throats with propolis detail the steps to take when the discomfort is already present.
As for storage, a propolis extract is kept away from light and heat, with the cap tightly closed. A slight deposit may appear at the bottom of the bottle or single-dose vial over the weeks. This is the normal behaviour of a lightly processed propolis: simply shake well before each dose.
Precautions to know before starting
Generally well tolerated, propolis is nevertheless not suitable for everyone. Like any food supplement, it is not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet, and the recommended dose on each formula must not be exceeded.
- Hive products: propolis is not recommended in case of known allergy to honey, pollen or royal jelly.
- Cross-allergies: as green propolis comes from a shrub of the Asteraceae family, a known sensitivity to this family (chamomile, mugwort, ragweed) or to balsam of Peru calls for the advice of a healthcare professional.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: propolis is not suitable during these periods.
- Age: formulas for adults (drops, spray, syrup, single-dose vials) are reserved for people over 18, and junior formulas are available from the age of 6. Before the age of 6, propolis is not recommended.
- Digestive comfort: in case of reflux or a sensitive stomach, it is better to talk to a doctor or pharmacist before starting.
- Ongoing medical follow-up: if follow-up is already in place, in particular for blood fluidity, medical advice is needed before any course.
One last practical guideline: on a label, the daily dose indicates the amount of propolis mother tincture provided each day. It is this figure that allows two formulas to be compared, far more than the size of the bottle.