Honey for anxiety/depression

[Col]

I am a trained biomedical scientist, and Im also looking into the effects of manuka honey after reading your interesting post, anything that may help with my anxiety is worth a try.

I searched PUBMED a scientific medical research website where you can access a variety of scientific publications or soon to be published scientific journals on theory and research.

However I stumbled upon this article from :

REFERENCE
http://www.manukahoney.co.uk/article1.html

By Peter Molan, PhD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Director of the Honey Research Unit University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand

Approximately 50 reports in medical journals detail the effectiveness of honey as a wound dressing and as therapy for eye infections and diarrhea 1, 3.
Honey has an antibacterial activity, due primarily to hydrogen peroxide formed in a "slow-release" manner by the enzyme glucose oxidase present in honey, which can vary widely in potency. Some honeys are no more antibacterial than sugar, while others can be diluted more than 100-fold and still halt the growth of bacteria. The difference in potency of antibacterial activity found among the different honeys is more than 100-fold.
"Active manuka honey" (and its Australian equivalent) is the only honey available for sale that is tested for its antibacterial activity. It contains an additional antibacterial component found only in honey produced from
Leptospermum plants: "unique manuka factor" (UMF). There is evidence that the 2 antibacterial
components may have a synergistic action.
Unique manuka factor is not affected by the catalase enzyme present in body tissue and serum. This enzyme will break down, to some degree, the hydrogen peroxide which is the major antibacterial factor found in other types of honey. If a honey without UMF were used to treat an infection, the potency of the honey's antibacterial activity would most likely be reduced because of the action of catalase.
The enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide in honey is destroyed when honey is exposed to heat and light. However, UMF is stable, so there is no concern about manuka honey losing its activity in storage.
Honey with UMF is more effective than that with hydrogen peroxide against some types of bacteria. For example, active mauka honey with UMF is about twice as effective as other honey against Eschericihia coli and Staphylococcus aureus4, 5, the most common causes of infected wounds.




Which clarifies to some degree the impact of heat on the enzymes with manuka honey.
However anything thing that ends in ase is an enzyme and enzymes have a vary narrow temperature range at which they work!!!!!
Between 35 - 40*C is the optimum, the best activity temperature for generally most enzymes HOWEVER some enzymes like those found in hot springs work best at up to 100*C. Soo each enzyme has it's o specific optimum range.

As a rule of thumb, I think just to be on the safe side, not to heat or warm Manuka UMF any higher than 40*C.
Or the enzyme could break apart or become altered ( denature) and will not
work as well or will not work at all in extreme temperatures.

I'm sure that manufactures would be able to supply us with more in depth info if we needed it and its well known that individuals like to add honey to tea etc, so I'm sure this info as to heat or not to if it was honey to take for health benefits, woyld be stated on the container.

I would still be reluctant to heat it though, I think 40*c and below is best.
Hope this helps X

[Ingenious]

Great post Col, thanks

I think it's worth also just stressing that many of the claimed good properties of honey, particularly the antiseptic ones, relate to the external application to skin and wounds. Taking it internally is a different kettle of fish and and an area that is not well researched.

As regards temperature, I am sure from what I've read there can't be anything active left in my honey after being dissolved into fairly hot tea!! So what we need is two groups of guinea pigs, those who take the honey neat and unheated, and those who take it in a drink. Actually add a third group, one who just takes the equivalent amount of sugar and glucose

[eight days a week]

Great post Col, thanks

I think it's worth also just stressing that many of the claimed good properties of honey, particularly the antiseptic ones, relate to the external application to skin and wounds. Taking it internally is a different kettle of fish and and an area that is not well researched.

As regards temperature, I am sure from what I've read there can't be anything active left in my honey after being dissolved into fairly hot tea!!

Agreed, great post Col, many thanks, great to have you on board with us

Ingenious - again, do you have any links that say that UMF is destroyed by heat? Everything I've read says that it isn't - but then I do agree with Col that it's best to be cautious and not mix it with too hot a liquid (plus then you are benefiting from the hydrogen peroxide aspect which is destroyed by heat).

As Col states, enzymes will be active at different temperatures.

Manuka has been scientifically proven for wound-healing, but I'd personally say most of the talked about benefits of honey are indeed when it's ingested.

[Michealleo]

well i am not sure about it that eating honey can make us destress . i know that honey has anti-inflammatory nutritonal values . And that is Good for our health . i know about it because i am a patient of a chronic disease . and it helps me alots in managing my symptoms

[Col]

Hi Michael,

Oh hope your ok. Yes I'm looking at that also, does it actually help anxiety and how why??
But my anxiety started off because I was sooo stressed ad soo run down and ill and now if I feel ill that triggers my panic. So for me to take honey may boost my immune system making me feel heather and therefore I'll feel more in control of my body and it might I crease my confidence.

I know I sound silly saying Heath started my panic but what happened was, I was 20 when I had my first child, parents weren't happy 3 years later got married in secret, racial and cultural problems with mine and my husbands families, so much so my daughter didn't meet her grandparents on dads side for Nearly three years ( tore us apart) we bought and sold 2 houses tried to make it work couldn't! Secrecy lies and arguments because my parents couldn't understand it and put pressure on and arguments from
hell with my mother to the point of fighting. Mum and dad were separating then getting back to gather so I think my mum took her frustrations out on me and my dad also at times.
We eventually, married in secret though ( i never got the big fairytale wedding but least got my man) that same year mum and dad eventually split (4 good) another women etc.
Same year my mum got sectioned my younger brother moved in with my dad and eventually ended up not having anything to do with my mother,this was 2005 still doest have anything what so ever to do with her ( makes it difficult 4 me and my kids) we still see my mum , she's my mum after all.anyway whilst all this I was doing my college, foundation degree and then my BSc. Moved in ( ironically ) with husbands family they have a huge house but all I'm gonna say about that is I got essentially bullied ( hubbies got massive family 1 of 7) and coerced into doing XY and Z.
Very very very hard 5 years. Durring this time learnt to drive, worked and had another baby, very turbulent and distressing time. Anyway after looking for 5 years we finally managed to buy our own house and moved in last November. Money is soo tight and I thought about doing a PGCE to teach science, however this new year used to get to uni or go on placement and bid just stand there absolutely exhausted, disorientated and faint.
I suffered with migraines which were very scary as I felt weak enough, I'd be in the library all hours not really eating and not really having much time to sleep then I'd be back on school and nursery run. My hubby is amazing he'd do everything once he'd get in But still I was in every sense of the word exhausted.even my car being parked across the road I'd think how am I gonna manage walking across the road , that's how exhausted I was. To cut a very long story short That was it, complete meltdown, anxiety and panic. I've had an awful time of it for most of this year, I keep thinking god really doesn't like me as if I need this right now on top of everything I've been through BUT I keep counting my blessings at least my kids are healthy my hubby is soo lovely and I finally got my house.

So back to honey I think the stronger I physically feel the stronger I'll feel mentally ,also.

Sorry to rant

[Col]

Ps had to stop my course that's how bad I got X

[magners]

Hi everyone,

I read somewhere that eating honey can be good for alleviating anxiety and depression.

I would like to hear from anybody who has tried this.

Thanks.

hi there, i wish it worked i would take that rather than citalopram!

[Ingenious]

Well this is the whole purpose of this thread, to encourage people to at least try taking honey daily and see what it does. As it's a natural substance it's a healthy experiment to try - I know I feel so much better since taking it daily. It might be placebo, it might just be the sugar/glucose hit, it might be some mysterious substance in it, who knows? But the more people who try it, the more data we can get on whether it works or doesn't

[nigel-]

Honey for anxiety/depression. I hope that's true cos if so i'm going to try it. if it works ill be the happyist man alive.

[Col]

Hi jerryshudson

Have u got any info in terms of prof with regards to the benefits of honey and anxiety?
It would be great if u did, might settle a bit of skepticism surrounding this claim and might encourage people to try it!

Collette