Nature’s nectar – the benefits of honey
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Honey – sweet, delicious and also pretty good for you. “It’s 85 per cent sugar, so it kills off bugs and contains other minerals and nutrients too,” says Dr Shaun Holt, Adjunct Professor at Victoria University and medical director of HoneyLab, which develops medicinal honey products to support skin conditions and joint and muscle health.
“It’s great as a sports supplement, giving you a boost of both long and short-term energy – honey on toast can be the perfect meal before an endurance event – and also works well as a remedy to soothe tickly throats.”
While there’s been a buzz (pardon the pun) around Manuka honey for several years, Dr Holt points out that all natural honey will contain a good degree of anti-bacterial activity. At HoneyLab, which was launched in 2009, he works primarily with Kanuka honey.
“It has the same antibacterial activity as Manuka, but it also has calming properties,” he explains, making it a great topical support for a number of conditions.
One of HoneyLab’s first clinical trials was with 137 rosacea sufferers. This skin condition is tricky to treat and usually results in long-term use of antibiotics, which can stop working over time. “We found promising results among participants using a topical Kanuka honey formulation over an eight-week period,” says Dr Holt.
HoneyLab has also found positive results from a large acne trial.
“Acne is caused by bacteria and we know that Kanuka honey is antibacterial – honey also supports wound healing. Prescription medications can have side effects, and some non-prescription bleach-like products damage the skin to such an extent that those companies then sell additional products to try to heal that damage,” says Dr Holt.
His latest clinical trial is with 950 cold sore sufferers as he investigates the healing power of a Kanuka honey formulation.
There’s no big secret over HoneyLab’s patented formula – 90 per cent Kanuka honey with 10 per cent glycerin to keep it stable in hot and cold temperatures. “It is medical grade
honey, though,” says Dr Holt. “It’s been through a double sterilisation process – I wouldn’t recommend using supermarket honey topically.”
Dr Holt has a long list of potential clinical trials he wants to run; but with results so far looking positive, the applications for Kanuka products seem to be endless.