Royal jelly (RJ) is a nutrient-rich substance produced by honeybees, known for its potential health benefits and use in medicine, cosmetics, and as a functional food. It contains a variety of bioactive compounds, including proteins, vitamins, lipids, minerals, hormones, and polyphenols, which contribute to its biological and therapeutic activities. Key components such as 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), antibacterial proteins, and specific peptides have been identified as important for its health-promoting properties. RJ exhibits numerous physiological and pharmacological effects, including vasodilation, hypotension, antihypercholesterolemia, antidiabetes, immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotection, antimicrobial, estrogenic, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-tumor activities. It also helps reduce menopause symptoms and improve the health of the reproductive system, liver, and kidneys, and promotes wound healing. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of RJ in various diseases, aging, and aging-related complications, with a focus on its bioactive components and their health-promoting properties. The data presented encourage future clinical studies to further explore the therapeutic potential of RJ and develop new RJ-based therapeutic opportunities for improving human health and well-being. RJ is a complex substance with a high nutritional value, containing essential components such as proteins, free amino acids, lipids, vitamins, and bioactive substances like 10-HDA. Its chemical composition is highly variable and depends on factors such as geographical origin, plant species, bee species, season, and collection method. RJ is used as a functional food and in medicine, with growing consumption due to its high nutritional value. It is consumed in various forms, either native or as a component of different food products. The annual production of RJ in China, the world's largest producer, is over 4000 tons, representing more than 90% of global production. RJ has significant medicinal potential due to its chemopreventive and protective functions, particularly its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as its interactions with food and genes. Bioactive components of RJ, such as polyphenols, vitamins, hormones, and enzymes, are essential for redox reactions and controlling oxidative stress and inflammation, which are factors in the progression of metabolic syndrome, cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Various biological activities and health-promoting properties of RJ are largely attributed to diverse phenolic compounds and glycosides from RJ, such as pinobanksin, hesperetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, isosakuranetin, naringenin, chrysin, acacetin, luteolin, apigenin, and formononetin. These findings have directed pharmacological studiesRoyal jelly (RJ) is a nutrient-rich substance produced by honeybees, known for its potential health benefits and use in medicine, cosmetics, and as a functional food. It contains a variety of bioactive compounds, including proteins, vitamins, lipids, minerals, hormones, and polyphenols, which contribute to its biological and therapeutic activities. Key components such as 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), antibacterial proteins, and specific peptides have been identified as important for its health-promoting properties. RJ exhibits numerous physiological and pharmacological effects, including vasodilation, hypotension, antihypercholesterolemia, antidiabetes, immunomodulation, anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotection, antimicrobial, estrogenic, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-tumor activities. It also helps reduce menopause symptoms and improve the health of the reproductive system, liver, and kidneys, and promotes wound healing. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of RJ in various diseases, aging, and aging-related complications, with a focus on its bioactive components and their health-promoting properties. The data presented encourage future clinical studies to further explore the therapeutic potential of RJ and develop new RJ-based therapeutic opportunities for improving human health and well-being. RJ is a complex substance with a high nutritional value, containing essential components such as proteins, free amino acids, lipids, vitamins, and bioactive substances like 10-HDA. Its chemical composition is highly variable and depends on factors such as geographical origin, plant species, bee species, season, and collection method. RJ is used as a functional food and in medicine, with growing consumption due to its high nutritional value. It is consumed in various forms, either native or as a component of different food products. The annual production of RJ in China, the world's largest producer, is over 4000 tons, representing more than 90% of global production. RJ has significant medicinal potential due to its chemopreventive and protective functions, particularly its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as well as its interactions with food and genes. Bioactive components of RJ, such as polyphenols, vitamins, hormones, and enzymes, are essential for redox reactions and controlling oxidative stress and inflammation, which are factors in the progression of metabolic syndrome, cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Various biological activities and health-promoting properties of RJ are largely attributed to diverse phenolic compounds and glycosides from RJ, such as pinobanksin, hesperetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin, isosakuranetin, naringenin, chrysin, acacetin, luteolin, apigenin, and formononetin. These findings have directed pharmacological studies