Honey Reduces Exercise-Induced DNA Damage in White Blood Cells

A randomized controlled trial examining the effects of 16 weeks of moderate-to-intensive cycling and honey supplementation on lymphocyte oxidative DNA damage and cytokine changes in male road cyclists

Cytokine. 2016 Sep 24;88:222-231

The aim of this study was to investigate whether honey supplementation (70 g, ninety minutes before each training session) attenuates changes in lymphocyte counts, DNA damage, cytokines, antioxidative and peroxidative biomarkers following moderate-to-intensive exercise training in male road cyclists.

Healthy nonprofessional cyclists (n = 24, aged 17-26 years) were randomly assigned to exercise+supplement (EX+S, n = 12) and exercise (EX, n = 12) groups for an experimental period of 16 weeks. Moderate-to-intensive exercise training increased lymphocytes DNA damage, cytokines and peroxidative biomarkers as well as decreased antioxidative biomarkers in the EX group.

These changes were significantly attenuated in the EX+S group. Furthermore, for both groups the observed changes in peroxidative and antioxidative biomarkers could be correlated positively and negatively, respectively, with lymphocyte DNA damage and cytokines.

Findings suggest that honey attenuates oxidative stress and lymphocyte DNA damage after exercise, activities that are most likely attributable to its high antioxidant capacity.