In Roald Dahl’s Royal Jelly, a rapidly-wasting baby grows enormous from the growth-boosting magic of royal jelly. The effect of the substance on bee larvae, a (fictional) study claims in the book, “is equivalent to a seven-pound baby increasing during the same period to five nearly tonnes.“
By the end of the story, the child has become enormous (if covered in some bee-like “fuzz.”) And it seems that recently, TikTokers have been wondering if a similar, though less extreme (and definitely not as zoomorphic) theory applies to their cup size.
Recently, Dr. Karan Raj – a doctor who’s known for dispelling medical misconceptions on the app – responded to two videos of people claiming that bee pollen had grown their boobs. “Bee pollen makes your girls grown bigger,” the first TikToker said, with a second stating that “I’ve been taking bee pollen for months now, and it does make your (gestures to their chest) grow bigger.”
“Can bee pollen make your nunga nungas bigger?” the doctor begins. Here’s how he answered the question:
There is a sort of logic to it
“Supposedly, bee pollen is rich in phytoestrogens,” the doctor said. Sources of the substance include soybeans, garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, rice, wheat, red clover, sweet potatoes, fruits, and even coffee.
“These are naturally occurring plant chemicals which are meant to mimic oestrogen in the body,” the doctor said. So it makes sense that the breast tissue, which “is one of the most hormone-sensitive areas in the body... can fluctuate in size due to various influences.”
It explains why your boobs might swell during your period, while you’re pregnant, and while on birth control. And the theory some TikTokers seem to have put forward is that pollen can bee (sorry) yet another of those influences.
So... does it work?
Basically, no. “There is no scientific evidence to suggest that bee pollen can increase the size of the biological airbags,” Dr. Raj says.
Outside of birth control medication, hormone therapy, or medicine side-effects, there is no magic pill or supplement which can enhance3 the size of the breast.“
Phytoestrogens in general have received a bit of a bad rep in the last few years, with some falsely linking the hormone-mimicking effects (especially in plants like soy) to breast cancer and low testosterone levels. But just as those links remain unproven, so too does the supposedly boob-enhancing effects of bee pollen.
Anyway, if you want to test the theory for yourself, carrots or a cup of hot Java are probably cheaper sources of phytoestrogens.
Here’s the entire video: