Seasonal allergies can be difficult during spring and fall, as the environment becomes visually appealing but also distressing. Climate change is making pollen levels worse each year and prolonging the allergy season.
Pollen allergies have no permanent fix, but some claim that eating local honey can help. However, allergists say there's little evidence to support this, and it doesn't make sense compared to other treatment options.
The Idea Behind Local Honey for Allergies
Dr. Zachary Rubin, an allergist, explains that using local honey as a treatment for allergies is often viewed as scientific and related to allergy immunotherapy. The idea is that consuming small amounts of honey containing pollen daily may gradually desensitize the body to allergens.
Local honey is thought to have scientific benefits as it contains pollen from nearby plants, which can help with specific allergies in that area.
However, this idea lacks the ability to effectively conclude.
The Reality of Pollen and Local Honey
A proven method of immunotherapy for pollen allergies entails being exposed to the particular pollens that induce symptoms, which are highly probable to be present in your local vicinity. Nevertheless, it is improbable that those pollens can be found in your honey.
Pollen allergies primarily arise from grasses, trees, and weeds. Birch and ragweed are frequently encountered triggers in the United States. As explained by Melanie Carver, representing the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, bees consume nectar and gather pollen from blossoms.
Flowers do not serve as significant contributors to pollen. Typically, individuals are more prone to being disturbed by fragrances than pollen. The non-aerosolizing nature of heavy and adhesive pollen is well established. Moreover, benign pollen types play an indispensable role in the production of honey.
Although allergenic pollens may be present in local honey, their concentrations may not reach levels sufficient to elicit an immune response. Honey commonly comprises pollen from more than 30 types of plants; however, studies indicate that, on average, it contains between 10 and 20 varieties.
Local honey immunotherapy doesn't work due to sloppy dosing. Medical immunotherapy for allergies works because doses are carefully measured to elicit small immune reactions.
Allergy shots gradually increase the amount of allergens in your body to reduce symptoms, according to Carver. Rubin states that if honey had enough pollen to achieve the same effect, it would cause itching every time it was consumed.
Although local honey sellers recommend doses based on body weight for allergies, they do not consider the variation in pollen concentrations.
What the Research Shows
Local honey treatment for seasonal allergies has not been scientifically tested, and most studies on honey and allergies have small sample sizes. Although honey may provide temporary relief, it has not been proven to have medicinal use for allergies.
Eating local honey is generally safe, but infants should not consume it due to the risk of botulism.
Although local honey may not be a reliable remedy for allergies, effective treatments for pollen allergies exist. Allergy immunotherapy, a 3-year course, has shown significant success rates, with 90% of patients experiencing long-lasting improvement for nearly 10 years. Personalized pollen treatments are also an option.