As infertility rates rise, birth rates decline, and chronic disease becomes ever more prevalent, many women are turning to натуральные средства and supplements to help restore their reproductive health [1]. Especially when so many pharmaceutical drugs are brimming with побочные эффекты, natural alternatives are booming, and in some cases, the science is finally catching up.
Honey has been used throughout the ages as a natural wound salve, antibacterial agent, and supplement for internal ailments. Clay tablets from as early as 2100 BCE record the use of honey for general medicinal purposes. But scientists today are finding something even more exciting: honey can actually be used to support our reproductive health.
Honey has a highly complex chemical and biological composition, with many sugars, bioactive compounds, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. It is rapidly absorbable, antimicrobial, and filled with nutrients and antioxidants.
Recent literature has suggested honey may have a helpful impact on several reproductive health conditions, including дисменорея, перименопауза, yeast infections, and toxicity in the ovaries.
Recent literature has suggested honey may have a helpful impact on several reproductive health conditions, including dysmenorrhea, perimenopause, yeast infections, and toxicity in the ovaries.
Honey for menstrual pain
Dysmenorrhea, or period cramps, affect anywhere from 45%-95% of women with reproductive capacity [2]. It is one of the most underdiagnosed and under-treated conditions in all of female health. The leading OBGYN societies recommend hormonal suppression as the front-line treatment [3].
Honey is a natural antispasmodic, meaning it can naturally relieve involuntary muscle spasms, uterine contractions, and cramps. In a randomized исследование of women with primary dysmenorrhea, researchers looked at the severity of pain in the first three days of menstruation, splitting the group into two sets: one taking mefenamic acid (an over the counter Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug, or NSAID) and the other taking honey [4]. They found that honey and the mefenamic acid capsules led to the same amount of pain relief. Researchers believe this relief is due to honey’s natural energy-boosting properties and its ability to lower prostaglandin levels, which cause muscle contractions and inflammation.
Treating yeast infections
Дрожжевые инфекции (Vulvovaginal Candidiasis) occur due to the overgrowth of pathogens in the vagina, and are actually quite common—up to 75% of women experience them within their lifetime. It is thought that yeast infections may be increasing in prevalence due to antibiotic overuse and the use of hormonal contraception.
Honey, a natural antimicrobial, has also been found to combat pathogen growth that leads to yeast infection without harming other good vaginal bacteria, such as lactobacillus, which maintains vaginal pH and inhibits bacterial adherence [1].
Helping regulate symptoms of menopause
When women go through menopause, their bodies are shifting away from a state of reproduction, meaning a decline in reproductive hormones, many of which help to facilitate a healthy vaginal flora. Very often, women going through menopause experience vaginal dryness, mood swings, and even the development of bacterial vaginosis (growth of E. Coli in the vagina).
Many women experiencing these symptoms may choose to begin hormone replacement therapies (HRT). However, for women looking for a non-hormonal approach to managing their symptoms, this Обзор 2021 года on the protective role of honey in reproductive health indicates that it could also help: a specific type of honey (Tualang) was found to protect the vagina from atrophy and increase epithelial cells to protect from dryness [1].
Protecting ovaries from environmental toxins
Bisphenol A (BPA) and other environmental toxins have been part of the national conversation in recent years due to their prevalence and harmful effects on endocrine function. BPA and other toxins (like heavy metals) act as эндокринные разрушители, mimicking key reproductive hormones like эстроген и тестостерон and confusing the reproductive system. These environmental toxins bind to estrogen and androgen receptors, disrupting the negative feedback loops that control FSH and LH secretion, resulting in dysfunctional reproductive hormone levels, infertility, and developmental damage.
Tualang honey has potential roles in reducing BPA-induced uterine disruption, possibly accounted for by its phytochemical properties [5]. In view of this, Tualang honey could be suggested as a promising natural product candidate in reducing the toxic effects of BPA in the uterus. This is because naturally occurring flavonols in honey have a similar structure to estradiol, the hormone that helps to trigger other key hormones for healthy ovulation.
Tualang honey may also promote anti-cancer activity by affording protection of non-cancerous cells from the toxic effects of tamoxifen, a common breast cancer treatment [6].
How should I eat honey to maximize its fertility benefits?
While there are many different kinds of honey to choose from that each have their own individual primary health benefits, no matter what, you must be eating raw honey. This is because processing honey filters out its beneficial enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients, leading it to have almost no nutritional benefits at all.
While there are many different kinds of honey to choose from that each have their own individual primary health benefits, no matter what, you must be eating raw honey. This is because processing honey filters out its beneficial enzymes, antioxidants, and nutrients, leading it to have almost no nutritional benefits at all.
Honey from different botanical and geographical origins have different physicochemical properties and compositions that ultimately влиять their biological properties [7].
We’d recommend Manuka, Tualang, Gelam, Kelutut, and local honey, just to name a few.
Итоги
These are just some of the newer reproductive health findings related to honey; there are many more benefits, including for your immune system, gut health, healing of wounds, and your brain function.
If you’re looking for a natural supplement to help with your overall health, invest in good honey. Add it to your tea, drizzle it on your oatmeal or pancakes, or even put it in your homemade salad dressings and pasta sauces. Along with other healthy foods and lifestyle choices, consuming high-quality honey may be part of the solution in overcoming various reproductive health issues.
