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By Amy Norton<\/b>
HealthDay Reporter<\/i><\/p>\n
MONDAY, Aug. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News)<\/p>\n
There may be no cure for the common cold<\/a>, but a spoonful of honey might make it less miserable, a new research review concludes.<\/p>\n Parents have long used honey to soothe kids’ sore throats and cough<\/a> — probably because their parents did. But the review of 14 clinical trials<\/a> finds some science to back it up.<\/p>\n Overall, adults and kids given honey had less-severe, less-frequent coughing<\/a> spells than those who received “usual care” — including over-the-counter<\/a> cough<\/a> syrups, cold<\/a> and allergy<\/a> medicines, and painkillers.<\/p>\n And while honey might not be a slam-dunk against cold<\/a> symptoms, it’s reasonable to give it a try, experts said.<\/p>\n That’s partly because the cold-and-cough<\/a> medicines sold in drug stores do not work well and can have side effects, said Dr. Russell Greenfield, an integrative medicine specialist who was not involved in the study.<\/p>\n “The reality is: We don’t have a good conventional therapy for the common cold<\/a>,” said Greenfield, who is clinical physician executive of Novant Health Integrative Medicine in Charlotte, N.C.<\/p>\n In contrast, honey might be helpful, and it’s largely safe and relatively cheap.<\/p>\n The exception, Greenfield said, is babies<\/a>: Children younger than 1 year should not be given honey, due to the risk of botulism<\/a>.<\/p>\n Honey has a centuries-long history as a folk remedy, including as a balm for sore throats and cough<\/a>. For the new review, researchers at Oxford University in England pulled together recent evidence on whether the nectar actually works.<\/p>\n They found 14 clinical trials<\/a> done since 2007; most focused on children, but five involved adults. Each tested honey against standard cold-and-cough medicines or a placebo.<\/p>\n Overall, honey was better than usual care in limiting coughs<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The majority of studies focused on cough, and the evidence is best for cough,” said lead review author Hibatullah Abuelgasim, a medical student at Oxford.<\/p>\n A few studies looked at other symptoms. A study of adults, for instance, measured throat irritation and found that honey seemed to speed recovery.<\/p>\n Given the mostly benign nature of honey, “it’s reasonable to try it — especially if it replaces potentially harmful alternatives,” Abuelgasim said.<\/p>\n One of those potentially harmful alternatives is antibiotics, which are commonly prescribed for colds. That’s despite the fact that antibiotics kill bacteria, and therefore, won’t work against the viruses<\/a> that cause colds.<\/p>\n In some cases, a person with a cold may develop a secondary bacterial infection and need medication for it, Greenfield noted. But, he said, “colds, by definition, won’t respond to an antibiotic.”<\/p>\n What is the magic behind honey? It’s not entirely clear, according to Greenfield.<\/p>\n Honey contains antioxidants, he noted, and research suggests it has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. It also helps coat the mucus<\/a> membranes, Greenfield said, which might bring some relief.<\/p>\n Plus, it’s sweet and “doesn’t taste bad,” he said. “In integrative medicine, we don’t discount the placebo effect — we try to use it.”<\/p>\n As for the best way to use honey — by the spoonful or mixed into tea, for example — the trials do not answer that. They used various modes of delivery, Abuelgasim said.<\/p>\n Her advice: “It may be best to take it how you prefer.”<\/p>\n With the world in the middle of a pandemic, however, even a cough should be taken seriously, according to Greenfield.<\/p>\n “These days, it’s a different animal,” he said.<\/p>\n So before turning to self-care with honey, Greenfield said, anyone who develops a cough or other possible symptoms of COVID-19<\/a> should consult their doctor.<\/p>\n The findings were published online Aug. 18 in the journal BMJ: Evidence-Based Medicine<\/i>.<\/p>\n![\"MedicalNews\"](\"https:\/\/images.medicinenet.com\/images\/HealthDay\/healthday.png\")
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