This “study” reports on the results of seven different pilot experiments designed to determine the effects of natural honey on factors known to impact cardiovascular health including plasma glucose, insulin and blood lipids levels, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein in normal, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects. Each of the seven experiments is described briefly below.

Experiment 1: Effects of honey vs. dextrose on plasma glucose and insulin levels in healthy subjects: Using a double-blind random cross-over design, eight healthy subjects (5 men and 3 women) consumed either a dextrose solution (75 g dextrose in 250 ml water) or a honey solution (75 g honey in 250 ml water). Plasma glucose and insulin were measured at baseline and 1, 2, and 3 hours post consumption. Blood glucose elevations were not significantly different between honey and dextrose; however, insulin levels were significantly higher after dextrose at all time periods.

Experiment 2: Effects of honey, honey analogue, or dextrose on blood lipid levels in healthy subjects: Using a double-blind random cross-over design, nine healthy subjects (6 men and 3 women) consumed either a dextrose solution (75 g dextrose in 250 ml water), honey solutions (75 g honey in 250 ml water) or a honey analogue (35 g dextrose and 40 g fructose in 250 ml water). Blood lipids including total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides were measured at baseline and 1, 2, and 3 hours post consumption. No significant effects of time or treatment were noted.

Experiment 3: Effects of daily consumption of honey on blood glucose levels, blood lipids, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein in healthy subjects. Eight healthy subjects (5 men and 3 women) consumed a honey solution (75 g honey in 250 ml water) for 15 days while maintaining their normal diet and exercise regimens. Plasma glucose, blood lipid levels, homocysteine and C-reactive protein was measured at baseline and day 16. On average, decreases in cholesterol (7%), LDL-C (1%), triglycerides (2%), C-reactive protein (7%), homocysteine (8%) and blood glucose (6%) and an increase in HDL-C (2%) were observed.

Experiment 4: Effects of honey or a honey analogue on blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels in hyperlipidemic subjects. Using a double-blind, random cross-over design, six subjects (4 men and 2 women) with elevated total cholesterol and LDL-C and five subjects (3 men and 2 women) with elevated triglycerides consumed either a honey solution (75 g honey in 250 ml water) or a honey analogue (35 g dextrose and 40 g fructose in 250 ml water). Total cholesterol, LDL-C and triglycerides were measured at baseline and 1, 2, and 3 hours post consumption. Honey produced a significant reduction in triglycerides over the 3 hour period. No other differences were detected.

Experiment 5: Effect of daily honey consumption on total cholesterol and C-reactive protein: Five subjects (3 men and 2 women) with elevated blood lipid levels and C-reactive protein consumed a honey solution (75 g honey in 250 ml water) daily for 15 days. Total Cholesterol, LDL-C, and C-reactive protein were measured at baseline and on day 16. On average, decreases in cholesterol (8%), LDL-C (11%) and C-reactive protein (57%) were observed.

Experiment 6: Effects of honey vs glucose on blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics: Using a double-blind, random, cross-over design, seven subjects (5 men and 2 women) with type 2 diabetes consumed either a honey solution (90 g honey in 250 ml water) or dextrose solution (70 g dextrose in 250 ml water). Blood glucose levels were measured at baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes post consumption. Plasma glucose after honey consumption was significantly lower compared to glucose consumption at all time periods.

Experiment 7: Effects of honey vs sucrose on blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetics: Using a double-blind, random, cross-over design, five male subjects with type 2 diabetes consumed either a honey solution (30 g honey in 250 ml water) or dextrose solution (30 g sucrose in 250 ml water). Blood glucose and insulin levels were measured at baseline, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes post consumption. Honey and sucrose elicited similar elevations in blood glucose. Honey elicited significantly greater elevations in insulin levels compared to sucrose at 30, 120, and 180 minutes.

Despite the obvious limitations in these series of studies (e.g., small sample sizes and lack of adequate controls in some experiments), the data collectively indicate that honey consumption may have a positive effect on factors associated with heart disease risk. Specifically, honey appears to lower C-reactive protein and may have a lesser impact on blood glucose, insulin, and lipid levels compared to glucose or a honey analogue particularly in diabetic and/or hyperlipidemic subjects. Further studies employing a larger number of subjects, adequate controls, and longer treatment durations should be conducted to substantiate the findings of these pilot experiments.

Twelve normal, healthy adult individuals, 9 men and 3 women, 25-48 years of age (mean, 38 years), were recruited in the study. After hours of fasting, blood specimens were collected at 8:00 AM for prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), PGF(2alpha), and thromboxane B(2) Each individual then drank 250 ml of water containing 1.2 g/kg body weight of natural unprocessed honey, after which collection of was repeated at 1, 2, and 3 hours for estimation of prostaglandins. Each individual was asked to drink the same amount of honey diluted water once a day for a maximum of 15 days. After 12 hours of morning blood specimens were collected on day 16, and plasma prostaglandin concentrations were measured. The quantitative of prostaglandins was performed with use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent (ELISA) test. Results showed that the mean plasma concentration of thromboxane B(2) was reduced by 7%, 34%, and 35%, that of PGE(2) by 14%, 10%, and 19%, at 1, 2, and 3 hours, respectively, after honey ingestion. The level of PGF(2alpha) was decreased by 31% at 2 hours and 14% at 3 hours after honey At day 15, plasma concentrations of thromboxane B(2), PGE(2), and PGF(2a) were decreased by 48%, 63%, and 50%, respectively. It may concluded that honey can lower the concentrations of prostaglandins plasma of normal individuals.

Folklore and anecdotal evidence suggest that the regular ingestion of local honey can prevent and/or provide relief from allergies. To date few studies have sought to scientifically validate this notion. In an earlier, “open-label” study, the researchers found that short-term honey consumption resulted in a statistically significant lowering of symptoms, particularly ocular symptoms in allergy sufferers. This study sought to expand on these preliminary findings by examining the effect of chronic honey consumption on symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis. Thirty-six subjects (24 women and 12 men) were randomly assigned one of 3 groups- (1) 1 tb locally collected, unpasteurized, unfiltered honey, (2) 1 tb nationally collected, pasteurized, filtered honey, (3) 1 tb honey-flavored placebo. Subjects consumed their respective “honeys” for 30 wk and tracked 10 subjective allergy symptoms. Results indicated no significant differences between the groups in the alleviation of allergy symptoms. The authors speculated that methodological weaknesses, (e.g., small sample size, self-diagnosis and self-report of allergy symptoms, inadequate amount of honey consumed, etc.) may explain the lack of significant findings.

Radiation-induced mucositis is a normal acute side-effect of radiotherapy treatment for oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal cancer and can lead to ulceration and painful dysphagia that leads to poor quality of life and treatment discontinuation. The purpose of this study determine the effect of honey on radiation-induced mucositis. Forty patients undergoing radiotherapy to the head and neck region were randomly assigned to receive either topical application of honey or no treatment (control) for seven weeks. Patients in the honey group consumed 20 ml of honey 15 minutes before, 15 minutes after, and 6 hours post-radiation therapy. Sixteen patients in the hone group vs. 19 in the control group developed some form of radiation mucositis. The difference in grade ¾ mucositis was significantly lower in the honey group (20%) compared to the control group (75%) (p,0.05), In addition treatment compliance was significantly greater in the honey treated group as was body weight maintenance (p<0.05). These results suggest that topical application of honey is a simple and cost-effective treatment in radiation mucositis.