Bee Pollen, Brassieres, and Bad Science

Women (and men!) will want to know the truth on whether or not bee pollen and boobs have any relationship to one another

In my late 20s, my wife and I started a habit where if we decided to watch a movie for the evening, we’d occasionally select an “older film”. Generally, these were movies we’d never watched and had some sort of cult following, or had achieved status as a cultural icon. Some films, like Casablanca (“Here’s lookin’ at you, kid…”), would fuel that desire to seek out more cinematic jewels. Others, like Street Fighter (God rest Raul Julia’s soul), were absolute stinkers. But for whichever category we classified the film, jewel or stinker, we found entertainment. In the former example, the film was just an awesome experience of artistic expression. If the latter, we’d just turn off our brains for some one-time, mindless entertainment (like with every Transformers movie involving Michael Bay). Either way, we could have a good time. It’s a subtle reminder that something entertaining is around if you just look for it.

Which brings me neatly to this New York Post (NYP) piece published last summer titled, “Do bee pollen supplements support boob growth? Expert says maybe”. I’m fairly familiar with the health and nutrition columns over at the NYP, and while their nutrition research coverage is mediocre at best, they at least attempt to cover something interesting. But this article… my goodness! Now that’s a title that catches attention! Truth is, the article made minimal effort to provide substantive answers on the topic in question, but it was highly entertaining, and prompted interesting avenues into the bee pollen bunny-hole. And frankly, I think women (and men!) will want to know the truth on whether or not bee pollen and boobs have any relationship to one another. As a warning to readers, I’ve done my best to maturely edit out any puns and jokes suitable for teenage boys, though it’s possible that a few were left abreast… I mean, intact! Left intact, during redaction. So with that, pull up a chair, bee on guard, and let’s dive chest-first into this extraordinary piece of journalism, nay, this piece of art from our friends over at the NYP.

Immediately, the validity of this claim takes a nose-dive when we find out that it first originated on TikTok, the inbred, out-of-work relative of the social media family. The origin of the present hype seems to be from online influencers and personal testimonials. In their videos and comments, women claim to have experienced as much as a cup size increase in their breasts after taking bee pollen supplements of some form. Nobody really makes an effort to explain this, instead offering reactions similar to what is reported by the NYP:

While these videos seem to be giving first-person reactions to the natural supplement, experts doubt that it can be attributed to growing breasts.

Now then… if your memory serves well, you’re likely just as confused as I am by the apparent discrepancy between that quote, and the article’s title (Experts say maybe…). At this point in the piece, the only clear evidence we’ve been presented with is that there is minimal coordination between the NYP’s people who write the content and the editors who approve the titles. But the comedic edges rub even sharper as the piece progresses. As God is my witness, this is an actual quote from the article:

“Can bee pollen make your nunga nungas bigger?” the doctor asked in a TikTok video, posing the question members of the itty bitty titty committee have been asking.

I’m honestly surprised that the NYP didn’t just say they interviewed a man in a pinstripe suit and quoted him to say, “AWOOOGA!!!” while his eyes bugged out of his head. But I digress. Clearly the NYP gave up early on providing an evidence-based answer to a question for boob enthusiasts worldwide, so, I took it upon myself to explain more on bee pollen, and try to substantiate some of the claims and curiosities surrounding its chemical properties and their effects on women.

To the basics we go.

Pollen are microspores created by plants, which when brought into contact with the plant’s “female parts”, prompt fertilization and production of new plants. Bees help bring about this fertilization naturally as they fly from plant to plant, working to collect the nectar and pollen, which they use for food. The pollen naturally clings to the bees thanks to weak electrostatic fields generated between them and the flower. Here, it agglutinates into a pellet which the bee carries back and uses as food. Working together, a bee colony can collect almost half a pound of pollen per day, a fairly impressive feat for little insects that each weigh only 1/10 of a gram.

From a nutritional analysis, bee pollen is a fairly nutrient-dense substance. A single teaspoon provides 16 calories and 1 gram of protein. The micronutrient content varies widely, but still contains fairly high quantities of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. While the exact amount depends on the flower source, an average sample of bee pollen may contain up to 4,900 mg of potassium per kilogram. Per 5 gram serving (the weight of one teaspoon), this translates to 24 milligrams of potassium. For comparison’s sake, orange juice contains 10 milligrams of potassium in the same amount. Given that bee pollen granules and powders cost an average of $23 per pound, and with no safety issues in prescribed doses, it’s easy to see why some people use it as a supplement.

What about the scientific literature? What do the studies report on the nature of bee pollen supplements in humans? Well, a precursory glance at the literature describes studies conducted in mice, as well as some observational studies on human outcomes and pollen ingestion. However, the general state of the literature on pollen ingestion is of incredibly poor quality and offers inaccurate descriptions of findings. Take a look at the screenshot from a review of literature on bee pollen:

As you can see, the first study reported in this review claims that bee pollen treats prostatitis. When you look up the actual study, it didn’t even use bee pollen. It used Cernilton, an extract created from a pollen produced by a specific type of ryegrass in Europe. Besides the fact that the general state of evidence on this extract is limited and addresses symptoms rather than treating the disease, this is not bee pollen! I read through the rest of the review of literature, and every citation is fairly similar in how it inaccurately presents the data.

As for studies on breast augmentation, this review provides the same number of references as the number of Super Bowl championships the Cleveland Browns have won. Zero.

In searching through online accounts that describe bee pollen usage, there is a doctor who proposed that ingestion could lead to breast growth by providing women with phytoestrogens, plant-based compounds that are structurally similar to estrogen. Bee pollen does appear to contain small doses of certain phytoestrogens like genistein, and it’s true that during puberty, women release high doses of estrogen in order to develop breast tissue. However, this theory of mechanism hits two roadblocks. First, the amount of phytoestrogen contained in bee pollen is well below the therapeutic doses of estrogen prescribed by doctors. Second, and more critically, phytoestrogens exhibit a much weaker “estrogenic” effect on human tissue, resulting in minimal if any biological changes.

So dear reader, we find ourselves unstrapped and without the necessary support to claim that bee pollen can increase a woman’s cup size. Despite this, we still have testimonials from women who claim to see a change in their breasts after they’ve started consuming bee pollen. The evidence doesn’t support this practice, but I suspect there may be another explanation at work here. Perhaps something else is occurring in tandem with the consumption of bee pollen that is actually responsible for an alteration in breast size that women observe.

For instance, the most obvious explanation is just weight gain. Breast tissue is a cocktail of mammary glands, connective tissue, and fat, and an increase in weight would cause an increase in bust in a relatively short time. Another obvious reason would be pregnancy, especially during a first-time pregnancy where women can see an increase of up to two cup sizes. Medications, such as oral contraceptives, can also lead to small increases.

However, I’m fairly confident that in this instance, the simplest answer is also the best answer. Breast size naturally fluctuates during a woman’s hormonal cycle, and there is data to prove it. In 1999, a study was conducted to measure whether there were significant changes in breast tissue after ovulation, among a sample of women ages 22 to 44 (the same age of the women offering testimonials). During menses, ovulation, and the premenstruation phase of a woman’s regular ovulation cycle, researchers used a highly precise technique called “point-counting”. Using magnetic resonance images (MRI), researchers would mark hundreds of points on a woman’s breast, and then geometrically determine the volume. They reported that over the course of a woman’s ovulation cycle, breast volume could vary by 76 milliliters. That number represents 13.6% of the breast’s total volume during menses.

A number like 13.6% may not sound like a large increase, but it is significant. But more to the point: consider the circumstances. Breasts aren’t like keys that women can accidentally forget at home. It’s a specialized organ that they carry around 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Such a constant presence probably breeds familiarity. Couple this familiarity with the hyperconsciousness introduced when a woman starts taking a supplement allegedly connected to breast size, and it’s a sure bet she’s going to know when something is different. As her menstrual cycle progresses naturally, there will be that small yet noticeable change in her bust. It’s not the observation of breast size that’s incorrect, just the suspected causality. Nature is running her natural course, and the following month, she’ll do so again.

While mankind will no doubt sag its head in disappointment at this revelation, they can at least take heart in how bee pollen is in fact a nutritive supplement. But in every instance, false pretenses should be swept aside, and any claim attempting to mislead a woman is completely unacceptable. Especially when it comes to a subject as important as bust size.