Insights & Discussion
Current evidence shows that short-term honey supplementation following surgical or physiological menopause exerts an oestrogenic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on the female reproductive system.
A systematic literature search using Scopus, MEDLINE via Ovid and Cochrane Library databases was conducted. Records were screened and identified for preclinical and clinical studies addressing the effects of HS on the FRS. Data on populations, interventions, outcomes and methodological quality were extracted. Studies were synthesised using tables and written summaries. Of the 198 identified records, six fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All six records were used for data extraction: two experimental studies using rats as the model organism and four human clinical studies of honey on female reproductive health. HS elevated the progesterone levels, restrained body weight increase, prevented uterine and vaginal atrophies in ovariectomised rats, attenuated symptoms of candidiasis and improved oxidative status in patients.
Discover Related Insights
Pomegranate can significantly enhance women's health during and after menopause by reducing hot flashes severity and other menopause symptoms.
2023 Phytotherapy Research Pomegranate effects on the health aspects of women during peri‐ and postmenopause: A systematic review and meta‐analysis Moeini R, Shirafkan H, Gorji N
Systematic Review Hot Flushes Menopause Pomegranate
The study aimed at understanding the impacts of pomegranate on women's health through and following menopause. To gather data, a rigorous search was conducted on various academic platforms, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, Scopus, and Google Scholar, up to the end of 2022. All forms of clinical research studies, from randomized clinical trials to case series, were considered for review. The material was evaluated using the Cochrane RoB 2.0 tool specifically for quality assessment of randomized clinical trials. To quantify the effects of the pomegranate intervention, standardized mean differences were calculated using a random effect model.
It was found that pomegranate significantly reduces the severity of hot flashes in menopausal women, improves their high-density lipoprotein levels, and reduces the Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH). However, no significant improvement was noticed in the low-density lipoprotein, body mass index, and body weight. Despite these findings, the study recognized that the results' conclusiveness was hampered due to small sample sizes and the lack of study design elements such as blinding and randomization.
In reproductive health, honey can improve infertility, protect the postmenopausal reproductive tract, prevent toxic effects, maintain sperm quality by restoring testosterone levels and treat vulvovaginal candidiasis infections.
2021 Molecules Protective Roles of Honey in Reproductive Health: A Review Zaid SSM, Ruslee SS, Mokhtar MH
Review Article Candidiasis Honey Menopause
Honey has a highly complex chemical and biological composition that consists of various essential bioactive compounds, enzymes, amino and organic acids, acid phosphorylase, phytochemicals, carotenoid-like substances, vitamins and minerals. Reproductive health and fertility rates have declined in the last 30 years. Therefore, this review aimed to highlight the protective role of honey as a potential therapeutic in maintaining reproductive health.
The main role of honey is to enhance fertility and treat infertility problems by acting as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for protecting the vagina and uterus from atrophy, protecting against the toxic effects of xeno-oestrogenic agents on female reproductive functions and helping in the treatment of gynaecological disorders, such as vulvovaginal candidiasis infection, that affect women’s lives.
Consuming soymilk-honey fermented with a specific type of probiotic significantly reduces osteocalcin levels, which may impact bone health in postmenopausal women.
2021 Nutrients Effect of Fermented Soymilk-Honey from Different Probiotics on Osteocalcin Level in Menopausal Women Desfita S, Sari W, Yusmarini Y, Pato U, Zakłos-Szyda M, Budryn G
Clinical Study Honey Menopause Osteoporosis
The researchers conducted a 90-day pre-post quasi-experimental study with control design on 54 postmenopausal women who were divided into three groups. The first group consumed regular soymilk, the second group consumed soymilk-honey fermented with a specific sub species of probiotics, and the third group consumed soymilk-honey fermented with a different type of probiotics. Each participant consumed 100 mL of their respective drink per day for 90 days. Measurements of blood serum osteocalcin were taken at the start and end of the study, alongside assessments of each participant's overall health status, including total cholesterol, blood glucose, and uric acid levels.
In terms of results, it was observed that the group consuming the soymilk-honey fermented with the particular probiotic showed a significant decrease in their osteocalcin levels after the 90-day period. This indicates that this specific fermented soymilk-honey beverage might have a positive impact on bone health in postmenopausal women.