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Dietary supplement

Royal Jelly Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by NOW

Softgel Capsule Category: Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Most serious interaction: Moderate
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Royal Jelly is a dietary supplement by NOW with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for menopausal symptoms, skin health and wound care, immune support.Based on those ingredients, 174 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. The ingredients most likely to interact are Royal Jelly. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Royal Jelly by NOW

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

Royal Jelly by NOW is a single-ingredient softgel containing royal jelly, a nutrient-rich secretion made by honeybees. The softgel is made with rice bran oil, beeswax, silica, and a gelatin capsule.

Royal jelly is a creamy substance that bees produce to feed their queen larvae. It's high in B vitamins, amino acids, and other compounds.

This product contains only that one active ingredient.

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed

This product doesn't appear to be marketed for a specific use, so we graded Royal Jelly's overall clinical evidence instead.

Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports Royal Jelly for:

Why this rating?
  • We looked at the product name, claims, and label statements and couldn't find a stated purpose to grade.
  • Since the label doesn't commit to one use, we graded the ingredient's overall clinical evidence instead.
  • On file: Menopausal symptoms — rated "Possibly Effective" (Natural Medicines).

The evidence for royal jelly is mixed. It's rated possibly effective for menopausal symptoms — meaning some evidence supports its use, though more research would help confirm it.

For hay fever, physical performance, and diabetes, it's rated possibly ineffective, and the evidence for its use in male-pattern hair loss (androgenic alopecia) is too limited to rate. If you're considering royal jelly for a specific condition, talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist about whether the evidence is strong enough for your situation.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Royal Jelly

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Royal Jelly is generally well tolerated in most people. However, it can trigger serious allergic reactions in people with a history of asthma or atopy (a tendency toward allergic conditions).

Common allergic symptoms include itching, hives, eczema, swelling of the eyelids or face, and shortness of breath. In rare but severe cases, it can cause anaphylaxis, severe asthma attacks, or even death in susceptible people.

One case report described bleeding in the colon with bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain after taking royal jelly; symptoms resolved after stopping it. There isn't enough safety data to use royal jelly during pregnancy or while breastfeeding — talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized guidance.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Royal Jelly

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Royal Jelly.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: anticoagulant / antiplatelet drugs.
  • For scale: 174 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking Royal Jelly, double-check it with your doctor or pharmacist if you take warfarin (a blood thinner) — there's a moderate risk of increased bleeding. Also flag any blood pressure medications you're on, since royal jelly might lower pressure further.

Both of these are documented moderate-severity interactions.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence behind its ingredients' uses. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Royal Jelly might help with menopausal symptoms, though the evidence is modest. If you take warfarin or blood pressure medication, check with your doctor or pharmacist first — the interactions are real and matter.

If you have asthma or a history of allergies, be extra cautious: royal jelly can trigger serious allergic reactions. For anyone else, it's generally well tolerated, but it's worth a quick conversation with your own healthcare provider.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Jul 25, 2016.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Royal Jelly, straight from the product label.

Brand NOW
Barcode (UPC) 733739025500
Net contents 100 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Jul 25, 2016
DSLD ID 62436
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Royal Jelly by NOW, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
2 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Softgel(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
733739025500
IngredientAmount% DV
Royal Jelly182 mg--

Other ingredients: Rice Bran Oil, Softgel Capsule, Beeswax, Silica

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation

Non-GMO

Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish or shellfish ingredients.

Precautions

Not manufactured with wheat, gluten, soy, corn, milk, egg, fish or shellfish ingredients. Produced in a GMP facility that processes other ingredients containing these allergens.

Caution: For adults only.

Individuals who are allergic to bees, bee products, or bee pollen should not take this product.

Not recommended for pregnant or nursing women. Consult physician if taking medication or have a medical condition.

Keep out of reach of children.

Do Not Eat Freshness Packet. Keep in Bottle.

General Statements

This Royal Jelly has been freeze-dried to maintain maximum stability and is among the finest products available. 10-HDA (hydroxy-d-decenoic acid) is one of the active, measurable components of Royal Jelly.

Please Recycle.

Royal Jelly is a natural honeybee product that is used in the nutrition of immature and adult queen bees. Royal Jelly has a complex nutritional profile that includes amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and sugars. It has been used traditionally since ancient times as a health tonic.

Naturally occurring particulates may be visible in the royal jelly. Natural color variation may occur in this product.

SOFTGEL SIZE

300 mg equivalency

Superfood

General Health

Family owned since 1968.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place after opening.

Seals/Symbols

GMP QUALITY ASSURED

Non-GMO

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Suggested Usage: Take 2 softgels 1 to 3 times daily.

General

CODE 2550 V4

Formula

6% 10-HDA

FDA Statement of Identity

A Dietary Supplement

See for yourself

Royal Jelly by NOW label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Royal Jelly by NOW

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size2 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Royal Jelly

Interacts with
174 drugs
182 mg per serving Form: 10-Hydroxy-2-decenoic Acid

Royal jelly is a nutrient-rich substance made by worker bees to feed the queen bee. People take it for menopause symptoms, energy, skin, and immune su...

Royal Jelly monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Rice Bran Oil, Softgel Capsule, Beeswax, Silica. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Royal Jelly by NOW Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Royal Jelly?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
174Drugs
174 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Royal Jelly with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Royal Jelly2 drug types · 174 drugs

Antihypertensive Drugs

Theoretically, royal jelly might increase the risk of hypotension when taken with antihypertensive drugs.
Animal research suggests that royal jelly might lower blood pressure.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
Warfarin (Coumadin)

Royal jelly might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with warfarin.
In one case, an 87-year-old male who was previously stabilized on warfarin developed hematuria and was found to have an INR of 7.29 after taking a royal jelly supplement for one week.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Royal Jelly, from the product label.

NOW

See all NOW products
Name
NOW Foods
Street Address
395 S. Glen Ellyn Rd.
City
Bloomingdale
State
IL
ZipCode
60108
Web Address
nowfoods.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Royal Jelly by NOW: Common Questions

Does Royal Jelly by NOW interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Royal Jelly has a known interaction with 174 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Royal Jelly contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take royal jelly if I have asthma or allergies?
Be cautious. Royal jelly has a high rate of allergic reactions in people with a history of asthma or atopy, ranging from itching and hives to shortness of breath and, rarely, severe anaphylaxis. If you have either condition, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first — you may need to avoid it entirely or test it under supervision.
Is royal jelly safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding?
There isn't enough safety information. The data advises against using it during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether it's right for you in these situations.
What is royal jelly, and what does it do?
Royal jelly is a creamy, nutrient-rich substance that honeybees produce to feed their queen larvae. It's rich in B vitamins and amino acids. This product contains only royal jelly as the active ingredient, so you're getting the bee secretion itself.
Does royal jelly actually work for menopausal symptoms?
It's rated possibly effective for menopausal symptoms, meaning some evidence supports its use, though more research is needed. For other uses like hay fever, physical performance, and diabetes, the evidence is weak or not established.
What are the most common side effects?
Most people tolerate royal jelly well. In those with asthma or allergies, the most common side effects are itching, hives, eczema, facial swelling, eye swelling, and shortness of breath. Topically, it can cause contact dermatitis or skin irritation. Serious reactions like anaphylaxis or severe asthma attacks are rare but possible in susceptible people.
Does this product contain any fillers or other inactive ingredients?
Yes. Besides the active royal jelly, the softgel contains rice bran oil, beeswax, silica, and the gelatin capsule shell as inactive ingredients.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Royal Jelly is safe with your meds?

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Royal Jelly label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Royal Jelly's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 14 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Royal Jelly 14 references
  1. Takahashi M, Matsuo I, Ohkido M. Contact dermatitis due to honeybee royal jelly. Contact Dermatitis 1983;9:452-5.
  2. Bullock RJ, et al. Fatal royal jelly-induced asthma. Med J Aust 1994;160:44. DOI
  3. Thien FC, Leung R, Baldo BA, et al. Asthma and anaphylaxis induced by royal jelly. Clin Exp Allergy 1996;26:216-22. PubMed
  4. Yonei Y, Shibagaki K, Tsukada N, et al. Case report: haemorrhagic colitis associated with royal jelly intake. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 1997;12:495-9.
  5. Harwood M, Harding S, Beasley R, Frankish PD. Asthma following royal jelly. N Z Med J 1996;109:325.
  6. Laporte JR, Ibaanez L, Vendrell L, Ballarin E. Bronchospasm induced by royal jelly. Allergy 1996;51:440. DOI
  7. Leung R, Thien FC, Baldo B, et al. Royal jelly-induced asthma and anaphylaxis: clinical characteristics and immunologic correlations. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1995;96:1004-7. PubMed
  8. Peacock S, Murray V, Turton C. Respiratory distress and royal jelly. BMJ 1995;311:1472. DOI
  9. Winther K, Hedman C. Assessment of the Effects of the Herbal Remedy Femal on the Symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2002;63:344-53. DOI
  10. Lee NJ, Fermo JD. Warfarin and royal jelly interaction. Pharmacotherapy 2006;26:583-6. PubMed
  11. Tokunaga, K. H., Yoshida, C., Suzuki, K. M., Maruyama, H., Futamura, Y., Araki, Y., and Mishima, S. Antihypertensive effect of peptides from royal jelly in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biol.Pharm.Bull. 2004;27(2):189-192. PubMed
  12. Sultana, A., Nabi, A. H., Nasir, U. M., Maruyama, H., Suzuki, K. M., Mishima, S., and Suzuki, F. A dipeptide YY derived from royal jelly proteins inhibits renin activity. Int.J.Mol.Med. 2008;21(6):677-681. DOI
  13. Gómez Torrijos E, Méndez Diaz Y, Borja Segade JM, et al. Occupational allergic respiratory disease due to royal jelly. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2016;117(1):102-3. PubMed
  14. Li JD, Cui L, Xu YY, Guan K. A case of anaphylaxis caused by major royal jelly protein 3 of royal jelly and its cross-reactivity with honeycomb. J Asthma Allergy 2021;14:1555-7. PubMed

See these in context on the Royal Jelly monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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