Honey Treats Coughs Better Than Drugs

By KATHARINE STOEL GAMMON

There may be hope for parents looking for alternatives to drug-laden cough syrup to calm their children's coughs and help might be as close as that golden nectar in the kitchen. Honey can soothe throats and calm coughs, according to a new study.

The study, published Monday in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, found that children who received a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime slept better and coughed less than those who received either a common over-the-counter cough suppressant (dextromethorphan) or nothing at all.

"This is the first time honey has been actually proven as a treatment," says lead study author Dr. Ian Paul, a researcher at Penn State College of Medicine. He adds that honey has been recommended for ages by grandparents in certain cultures.

The researchers enrolled 105 children, between ages 2 and 18, in their randomized, partially double-blind study. On the first night of the study, the children received no treatment. Parents then answered questions about their children's sleep and cough, as well as the quality of their own sleep. The second night, the children were given either honey-flavored cough syrup or honey or nothing at all. Parents then reanswered the questions in the survey.

Parents whose children received the honey rated their kids' sleep and symptoms as better and their own sleep as improved as well.

Healing Powers of Honey

Paul says that the type of honey plays a role in the treatment.

"Darker honeys have more antioxidants than lighter honeys, and we wanted the best chance to see improvements," he says, noting that lighter honeys would probably also benefit kids. "At least locally [buckwheat honey] is available. I can get it here at the local supermarket."

Honey is also generally less expensive than over-the-counter medications, he says, and bring none of the side effects like dizziness or sleepiness.

The current study was inspired by an earlier investigation by Paul and his group. In 2004, they showed that the two most common active ingredients in cough syrup, dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine, had the same effectiveness in treating cough symptoms as a placebo ingredient.

Some of the kids who took honey did experience side effects, according to the study. The parents reported slightly more hyperactivity when their kids took honey, compared with when they took cough syrup.

But it's also interesting to note that this is not the first time the sweet stuff has been looked to as a remedy. Honey has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to treat everything from wounds to insect bites. This usefulness can perhaps be attributed to the idea that an enzyme that bees add to the nectar produces hydrogen peroxide, an antibacterial agent.

A Conclusion That's Easy to Swallow

For coughs and sore throats, it may be the stickiness and viscosity of honey that makes it work well.

"It has long been known that demulcents [like honey] can soothe irritated mucous membranes and thereby remove the irritation that is fueling the cough reflex," says Paul Doering, co-director of the Drug Information and Pharmacy Resource Center at the University of Florida.

"This explains the popularity of the so-called 'cough drops' that we all were given as children," he says, adding that the cough syrups serve a similar purpose: they lubricate the throat, thus reducing irritation. "The immediate relief that one experiences when swallowing that dose of cough syrup is attributable to the viscous vehicle and not the medicine itself."

Other pediatricians warn that there is a minimum age when honey is appropriate. Only children 2 and older participated in the study.

"Pediatricians do not recommend using honey in any situation whether it be to eat or to relieve a cough in children younger than 1 because of the risk of botulism," says Dr. Ari Brown, a pediatrician in private practice in Austin, Texas, explaining that botulism spores in honey can harm infants.

Brown says that even if honey is eventually shown to have little effectiveness, it certainly will not hurt and it can make parents feel as if they're doing something.

"It's benign, and as opposed to standard cough medicine, it tastes good," she says. "But the authors admit that the improvement in symptoms may simply be attributable to the length of time a child has symptoms of cough and that the common cold will improve over time anyway."

Doering says that since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's recent recommendation that cough and cold medicines not be given to children under 6 years old, this new research may calm the nerves of parents who wonder what to give their children.

"I believe that recommending honey as a cough medicine has merits. It provides a safe option to using chemical based options," he says, adding that honey is part of a trend of recommending more commonplace traditional remedies for ailments.

"We are in an age of new found caution when it comes to dosing our kids for minor illnesses," says Doering. "Personally, as a pharmacist, I always feel uncomfortable recommending a chemical solution to every ill that comes along."

Honey Relieve Cough in Children

Research results to researchers from Pennsylvania State University in Hershey, USA: honey proved effective alleviate cough in children and help them sleep soundly at night. Treatment with honey is even better than cough syrup containing dextromethorphan.

"The result is so convincing that we can state clearly that honey is better than dextromethorphan or no treatment at all," said Dr. Ian M. Paul one of the researchers told Reuters Health, on Tuesday (4 / 12).

Federal Medical Advisor has recently warned that the-counter cough medicine or cold medicines should not be used for children aged under six years old. The producers also should attract a number of products for babies off the market.

So far, treatment for cough due to acute respiratory infection or common cold have not been truly effective. While dextromethorphan is widely used, but there is no evidence that these drugs actually work.

Some pediatricians who read the results of this study recommends that honey child can be an alternative in overcoming cough in children. However, they suggest, should not be given honey to children under one year.

In his study, the researchers involved 105 children people with upper respiratory infection at a clinic in Pennsylvania. The parents of this child was given each a bag containing the drug and dosage instructions. Some bags are not equipped with the drug. Some of the bags containing the drug dextromethorphan with the scent of honey, while others contain a similar dose of honey.

The researchers gathered data on symptoms of cough and sleep of children from their parents, both before and after treatment. All children progress, but who ate honey consistently recorded the highest average score in decreasing the frequency and severity of their cough. Children who drink honey also experienced improvement in their sleep quality.

Does honey cure coughing?

By Rod Brouhard

Question: Does honey cure coughing?

No spoonful of sugar needed to help this medicine go down. Honey has been around for centuries as a food and a medicine. It has antimicrobial properties, so it's really the first antibiotic ointment. It's good in coffee. It comes in those cute little bear jars. I don't really have anything bad to say about honey, but does it cure coughing?

Answer: No, but there is evidence that honey keeps coughing down better than over the counter cough suppressants.

Honey was tested against dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, to determine which was better at calming coughs in kids. Researchers compared honey, dextromethorphan and nothing at all. None of them cured cough altogether.

Coughing is complicated. There are a lot of things going on in the brain, the throat, the windpipe and the lungs that combine to trigger coughing. Curing a cough is about fixing the underlying problem. Honey doesn't cure anything, but it looks like it is the best bet for getting a little relief at night.

In the study, dextromethorphan didn't do any better than nothing at all. Honey did, but the difference wasn't amazing.

So, basically, honey is better than nothing at all. In this study the kids took the honey straight by the spoonful and they took buckwheat honey, a darker variety with more antioxidant properties than lighter honey. The kids were also supposed to drink a hot beverage after the honey dose.

I've seen lots of recipes for honey cures. Sometimes it's mixed with lemon juice, which sounds good but wasn't tested here.

Currently, there is no cure for coughing. Since kids shouldn't take cough medicine, there aren't a lot of options to get relief.

Honey might be right for your child. Remember that honey should never be given to infants; they could get a botulism infection from it. Only give it to kids older than a year and don't expect miracles.

Source:

Paul, I.M., et al. "Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Dec 2007 

How to use Lemon and Honey to Treat Cough

By: waheed elqalatawy

Browse the internet for remedies to treat cough and you will find tens of them from all the world countries use lemon or Orange , and a fewer number uses honey with or without Lemon.

Unfortunately, they use them the wrong way that made people prefer to use supplementary vitamin C for more convenience and with comparable results. Almost all people CUT the lemon and squeeze it to get its juice, yet cutting the Lemon peel may release enzymes recently found in the rind of many fruits, and these enzymes may change some costituints of the lemon juice.

For hundreds of years, the best way to use Lemon to cure cough was to boil the INTACT Lemon in water before squeezing it, and no body knew why. In view of the recent findings, the cause may be that boiling the lemon kills enzymes present in its rind (enzyme denaturation).

The procedure to prepare the best natural cure of cough is as follows:

1- Fill a can with water and put a middle or big sized Lemon.

2- Leave the can to boil for about 10-15 minutes till it becomes soft but intact.

3- Take the Lemon and squeeze it to extract its juice.

4- Clear the juice or filter it.

5- Add the juice to 1/2 cup of honey ( or about 60 ml).

Some people - including me- add 30 ml ( 2 tablespoonful ) glycerin to the Lemon juice before adding honey.

Take 1 tablespoonful 3 times a day.

This is the best known natural cure of cough of people of any age through all times. Prepare for the fall and winter the right and easy way.

Study: Teaspoon of Honey Works Better for Children Than Cough Medicine

A teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better, according to a new study that relied on parents' reports of their children's symptoms.

The folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment in a three-way comparison. Honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat, the study authors said.

"Many families are going to relate to these findings and say that grandma was right," said lead author Dr. Ian Paul of Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine.

The research appears in December's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine

Federal health advisers have recently warned that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn't be used in children younger than 6, and manufacturers are taking some products for babies off the market.

Three pediatricians who read the study said they would tell parents seeking alternative remedies to try honey. They noted that honey should not be given to children under age 1 because of a rare but serious risk of botulism.

For the research, researchers recruited 105 children with upper respiratory infections from a clinic in Pennsylvania. Parents were given a paper bag with a dosing device inside. Some were empty. Some contained an age-appropriate dose of honey-flavored cough medicine containing dextromethorphan. And some contained a similar dose of honey.

The parents were asked about their children's sleep and cough symptoms, once before the bedtime treatment and once after. They rated the symptoms on a seven-point scale.

All of the children got better, but honey consistently scored best in parents' rating of their children's cough symptoms.

"Give them a little time and they'll get better," said Pat Jackson Allen, a professor at Yale University School of Nursing.

The study was funded by a grant from the National Honey Board, an industry-funded agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The agency had no influence over the study design, data or results, Paul said. 

Honey for Your Cough? A Sweet Solution

By Jane Harrison, R.D., HealthAtoZ Nutritionist

A spoonful of sugar may make the medicine go down, but a new study suggests honey is even better.

With the recalls of pediatric cough medicines, parents are looking for alternative treatments for themselves and their children this winter. A small study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine suggests that honey may be a sweet solution.

The clinical study involved 105 children, ages 2 to 18, with upper respiratory infections. The treatment goal was to relieve the cough, as well as any nighttime awakening due to coughing. The effect of honey was compared to a common over-the-counter cough suppressant (dextromethorphan) or no treatment at all.

Kids who were 2 to 5 years of age were given a half teaspoon of dark buckwheat honey before bedtime. Children 6 to 11 took a full teaspoon. Older kids received two teaspoons. Of the three treatment groups, honey was the most effective for soothing coughs and promoting better sleep in children. An added bonus was that the parents slept better, too.

It is not clear how honey helps. One leading theory is that it soothes the throat and stimulates saliva, which calms the coughing reflex.

One warning: Never give honey to infants younger than 12 months of age. Honey can contain botulism spores that can be deadly to infants. However, it is safe for children 12 months of age or older.

A centuries-old remedy

Honey has been used since ancient times to treat many ailments. In addition to its use as a cough suppressant, honey has these benefits:

It is a source of antioxidants, such as vitamins C and E. The darker the honey, the more nutrients it has.

It contains extra minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, iron and phosphate.

Bring on the bees

Honey's flavor has to do with the type of nectar gathered by each bee from various flowers. Flavors can range from mild to spicy. Experts agree that darker honey, such as buckwheat, packs the most nutritional punch.

Honey is a low-cost, easily digested, safe alternative to cough medicine. And you can keep it almost indefinitely. Store it in a cool location away from direct sunlight in a tightly covered container.

So, the next time you or your child has a sore throat or cough, reach into your kitchen cabinet, not the medicine cabinet. A hot cup of tea and a teaspoon or so of honey may just do the trick.

Honey 'Beats Cough Medicine'

James Randerson, science correspondent

The Guardian, Tuesday 4 December 2007

The following correction was printed in the Guardian's Corrections and clarifications column, Thursday January 10 2008

In the item below we said that a study compared buckwheat honey with dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in children's over-the-counter medicine in the US, and found that honey was more effective at relieving the severity, frequency and bothersome nature of the cough and that dextromethorphan was slightly more effective than a placebo. In fact the study, which was funded by the US National Honey Board, concluded that while honey was the most effective treatment for all outcomes related to cough, child sleep and parent sleep, direct comparison between honey and dextromethorphan did not yield statistically significant differences.

A clinical trial has found that honey is more effective at soothing a sore throat than a common active ingredient in children's cough medicines.

Honey has been used for centuries to relieve a tickly throat and scientists now believe it may be effective because it has constituents that kill microbes and acts as an antioxidant. That means it might prevent damage inside cells from chemical byproducts of their activity.

The study compared buckwheat honey with dextromethorphan, an ingredient in a range of branded medicines. Dextromethorphan is the most common active ingredient in children's over-the-counter cough medicine in the US, although it is less common in remedies aimed at children in the UK. The team enrolled 105 children with a night cough and their parents and split them into three groups. One group received a syringe-full of honey, one a syringe containing the medicine, and the third received an empty syringe.

The team from Pennsylvania State University report today in the Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine that honey was more effective than dextromethorphan at relieving the severity, frequency and bothersome nature of the cough. The medicine was slightly more effective than no treatment at all.

Sheila Kelly, of the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, said: "Having access to safe and effective paediatric cough and cold remedies is essential. Those on the UK market have demonstrated their efficacy through decades of use and their acceptance by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency means parents can continue to rely on these over- the-counter cough and cold remedies."

Honey Eases Nighttime Cough

By Anne Harding

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A spoonful of honey can quiet children's nighttime cough and help them -- and their parents -- sleep better, a new study shows.

When compared to the cough syrup ingredient dextromethorphan or no treatment, honey came out on top.

"The results were so strong that we were able to say clearly that honey was better than no treatment and dextromethorphan was not," Dr. Ian M. Paul of Pennsylvania State University in Hershey, one of the study's authors, told Reuters Health.

There is currently no proven effective treatment for cough due to an upper respiratory infection like the common cold. While dextromethorphan is widely used, there is no evidence that it works, and it carries risks.

Honey is used around the world as a folk remedy for cough, and might provide a safe, effective alternative to cough medicine, Paul and his colleagues note in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

To investigate, they compared buckwheat honey, a honey-flavored dextromethorphan preparation, and no treatment in 105 children who had sought treatment for nighttime coughs due to colds. Parents were surveyed on the day of the doctor's visit and on the next day, after those in the treatment groups had given their kids honey or dextromethorphan at bedtime.

Among the three groups, children given honey had the greatest reduction in cough frequency and severity, and the most improved sleep, as did their parents.

There are several explanations for why honey might ease cough, Paul and his team note; its sweet, syrupy quality may be soothing to the throat, while its high antioxidant content could also be a factor. Honey also has antimicrobial effects.

Honey isn't recommended for infants younger than one year old, because of the rare but serious risk it might cause a type of food poisoning known as botulism, Paul said in an interview. For older kids, however, it is generally safe. He and his colleagues used a dosage identical to that recommended for cough syrups: half a teaspoon for two- to five-year-olds, a teaspoon for six- to eleven-year-olds, and two teaspoons for children twelve and older.

"The study offers an interesting alternative to traditional over-the-counter remedies for cough in children," Dr. Michael Warren of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee and colleagues conclude in a commentary accompanying the study.

SOURCE: Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, December 2007.

Prescribing Honey For Childhood Cough

A new study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative than over the counter children's cough medicines.

The study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and bothersome nature of nighttime cough from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also showed a positive effect on the sleep quality of both the coughing child and the child's parents. DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.

These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines not be given to children less than 6 years old because of their lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

The results are published by Penn State College of Medicine researchers, led by Ian Paul, M.D., M.Sc., in this month's Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

In a previous study published in 2004, Paul and colleagues showed that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough, and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.

In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a single university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child's cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.

The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child's treatment group.

Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child's nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.

"Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents," said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children's Hospital. "Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense, and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM."

Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is a commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.

Cough is the reason for nearly three percent of all outpatient visits in the United States, more than any other symptom. It is particularly bothersome at night because it disrupts sleep. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief. 

Honey proves a better option for childhood cough than OTCs

Hershey, Pa. — Now that the safety and effectiveness of children’s cough medicines are in question, what can parents do to help their child deal with a troublesome cough?

A new study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative. The study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

Honey did a better job reducing the severity, frequency and bothersome nature of nighttime cough from upper respiratory infection than DM or no treatment. Honey also showed a positive effect on the sleep quality of both the coughing child and the child’s parents. DM was not significantly better at alleviating symptoms than no treatment.

These findings are especially notable since an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines not be given to children less than 6 years old because of their lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

The results are published by Penn State College of Medicine researchers, led by Ian Paul, M.D., M.Sc., in this month’s Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

In a previous study published in 2004, Paul and colleagues showed that neither DM nor diphenhydramine, another common component of cold medications, performed better than a placebo at reducing nighttime cough or improving sleep quality. However, honey has been used for centuries in some cultures to treat upper respiratory infection symptoms like cough, and is considered to be safe for children over 12 months old. Honey has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which could explain its contributions to wound healing. Honey also soothes on contact, which may help explain its effect on cough as suggested by the World Health Organization.

In the latest study, the researchers enrolled 105 children between the ages of 2 and 18 at a single university-affiliated physician practice site. On the first night of the study, children received no treatment. Parents answered five questions about their child’s cough and sleep quality as well as about their own sleep quality. On the second night, children received either honey, artificial honey-flavored DM or no treatment about a half hour prior to going to bed. Parents answered the same five questions the following morning.

The randomized study was partially double-blinded: Medical staff did not know what treatment each participating family received when distributing their sealed syringe-containing envelope. Parents of children who received honey or artificial honey-flavored DM in a measured syringe were blinded to their treatment group. Parents of children in the no treatment group received an empty syringe, and therefore were aware of their child’s treatment group.

Across the board, parents rated honey as significantly better than DM or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their child’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulty. In a few cases, parents did report mild side effects with the honey treatment, such as hyperactivity.

"Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of DM in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents,” said Paul, a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital. “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense, and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM.”

Potentially dangerous effects of DM in young children include dystonic reactions, severe involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. Further, DM is a commonly used as a drug of abuse by adolescents.

Cough is the reason for nearly three percent of all outpatient visits in the United States, more than any other symptom. It is particularly bothersome at night because it disrupts sleep. Consumers spend billions of dollars each year on OTC cough and cold medications despite little evidence that these drugs provide significant relief.

This study was funded by an unrestricted grant from the National Honey Board, an industry-funded agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Honey: A Natural Remedy For Children's Coughs

Natural honey may offer parents "an effective and safe alternative" to help soothe coughs in young children, new research suggests.

A study from Penn State College of Medicine found that giving a child a small dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime provides relief from coughing during the night and difficulty sleeping.

The findings follow a recent recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration saying that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines should not be given to children under the age of six.

Research leader Ian Paul said: "Our study adds to the growing literature questioning the use of [cough suppressant] DM (dextromethorphan) in children, but it also offers a legitimate and safe alternative for physicians and parents.

"Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment given the lack of proven efficacy, expense, and potential for adverse effects associated with the use of DM."