Could It Bee? Honey Ingestion Induces Comparable Metabolic Responses to Traditional Carbohydrate-Based Sports Nutrition Product During 3-Hr Steady-State Cycling and Subsequent Exercise Capacity Test.
- 2025-09-01
- International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 35(5)
- Harvey O Fortis
- Samanvita Ravikanti
- Jennifer S Barrett
- Erick M Lopez
- Theodoros M Bampouras
- Jordan J Haworth
- José L Areta
- Jamie N Pugh
- PubMed: 40675563
- DOI: 10.1123/ijsnem.2024-0244
Study Design
- Type
- Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
- Population
- 12 trained males
- Methods
- Randomized crossover design, ingestion of 90 g × hr-1 of carbohydrate as TRAD-CHO or honey during 180 min of steady-state cycling at 90% lactate threshold, followed by time to fatigue at 120% lactate threshold
- Blinding
- Open-label
- Funding
- Unclear
The present study investigated the effects of honey compared with a traditional carbohydrate based sports nutrition product (TRAD-CHO) on metabolic and gastrointestinal responses during exercise, as well as exercise capacity. In a randomized crossover design 12 trained males ingested 90 g × hr-1 of carbohydrate in the form of TRAD-CHO, or honey (HONEY) during 180 min of steady-state cycling undertaken at 90% lactate threshold, followed by a capacity test consisting of a time to fatigue at 120% of lactate threshold. Mean total CHO oxidation (HONEY 2.47 ± 0.37 g × min-1, TRAD-CHO 2.41 ± 0.39 g × min-1) and fat oxidation (HONEY 0.44 ± 0.12 g/min, TRAD-CHO 0.42 ± 0.10 g/min) were not different between trials during steady-state cycling (p = .517). The overall incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms rated as "moderately severe" or worse was low. There was no difference in time to fatigue (p = .517). There was no difference in breath hydrogen postexercise (p = .319) and the number of participants in each condition, with >20 parts per million rise from baseline not significantly different between conditions (6: SPORT, 7 HONEY: p = 1.00). From these data, honey could be a potentially alternative fueling option to commercial TRAD-CHO, with the current data providing no evidence of any systematic differences between the conditions on whole-body carbohydrate oxidation and endurance capacity test.
Research Insights
There was no difference in time to fatigue (p = .517)
- Effect
- Neutral
- Effect size
- Small
- Dose
- 90 g × hr⁻¹ of carbohydrate as honey
Mean total CHO oxidation (HONEY 2.47 ± 0.37 g × min⁻¹, TRAD-CHO 2.41 ± 0.39 g × min⁻¹) ... were not different between trials during steady-state cycling (p = .517)
- Effect
- Neutral
- Effect size
- Small
- Dose
- 90 g × hr⁻¹ of carbohydrate as honey
Mean total ... fat oxidation (HONEY 0.44 ± 0.12 g/min, TRAD-CHO 0.42 ± 0.10 g/min) were not different between trials during steady-state cycling (p = .517)
- Effect
- Neutral
- Effect size
- Small
- Dose
- 90 g × hr⁻¹ of carbohydrate as honey