Manuka Honey

Manuka (and other) honey can help soothe and reduce cough symptoms, but there’s no reliable evidence that honey cures whooping cough (pertussis) or replaces antibiotics/public-health measures. Use honey only as symptomatic relief (for people ≥12 months), and seek medical care and antibiotic treatment for suspected pertussis. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

Demulcent / soothing effect: honey coats the throat, which reduces cough reflex sensitivity and improves sleep in children with nocturnal cough. Several randomized trials show improved parent-reported cough frequency/severity and child sleep after a single bedtime dose. Pediatrics

Anti-inflammatory effects: honey contains compounds that reduce local inflammation in the airway mucosa which can reduce cough irritation. Systematic reviews list anti-inflammatory action as a plausible mechanism. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

Antimicrobial activity (Manuka specific): mānuka honey contains high levels of methylglyoxal (MGO) and other unique compounds that provide stronger antibacterial activity than many other honeys in laboratory tests. This explains why mānuka is prized for wounds and for antibacterial effects in vitro. BUT in clinical respiratory infections the evidence is for symptomatic relief rather than clearance of a specific pathogen such as Bordetella pertussis. MDPI

Age limit: Do NOT give honey to infants younger than 12 months (risk of infant botulism). For children ≥12 months and adults, honey may be used for cough. Poison Control

Typical trial dose (children): many RCTs used a single bedtime dose of around 5–10 g (about 1 teaspoon to 2 teaspoons) of honey given before sleep; this produced measurable improvement in nocturnal cough and sleep quality in children with acute cough/URI. Some multi-night trials used ~10 ml (≈2 teaspoons) nightly for 2–3 nights. Pediatrics

Adults: trials vary; commonly used amounts are 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 g) per dose, taken as needed or once at bedtime to reduce coughing and improve sleep. Evidence in adults is more mixed than in children. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine

How to take it: straight spoonful, or mixed into warm (not scalding) water/tea with lemon or ginger if desired. Avoid very hot liquids (which can degrade some active components). Some studies compared honey versus dextromethorphan or no treatment and found honey performed at least as well as OTC antitussives in children. JAMA Network

Frequency & duration: most evidence supports single nightly doses or a few nights for acute cough. There is no standardized long-term dosing schedule for prolonged coughs—if symptoms persist (whooping spells, apnoea, poor feeding, cyanosis, prolonged cough >2 weeks), seek medical care. Cochrane

• Systematic reviews & guidelines: systematic reviews and meta-analyses conclude that honey is better than no treatment or placebo for reducing frequency/severity of cough and improving sleep in children with acute cough; evidence quality is low-to-moderate and most trials were small/heterogeneous. Guidelines (e.g., NICE summary / evidence reviews) mention honey as an option for symptomatic relief of acute cough in children. Cochrane
• Key trials: large pediatric RCTs (e.g., Cohen/Paul et al.) tested a single bedtime dose of honey vs placebo/no-treatment or dextromethorphan and reported improvements in parent-reported nocturnal cough and sleep. These are the trials that underpin the Cochrane conclusions. Pediatrics
• Manuka-specific clinical trials for pertussis: there are no high-quality clinical trials showing manuka honey cures whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis infection). Most clinical evidence for mānuka relates to wound care and in-vitro antibacterial activity—not clinical cure of pertussis. Honey trials address symptom relief (cough) in viral or non-specific acute coughs, not eradication of pertussis bacteria. Do not rely on honey instead of antibiotics or public-health measures for pertussis. MDPI

Selected clinical / evidence sources:

• Cochrane Review — Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane
• BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine systematic review/meta-analysis (Oxford team summary) — honey vs usual care for URTI coughs. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine
• Pediatric RCTs (example: Paul/Cohen et al., Pediatrics / JAMA Pediatrics summaries) — single bedtime dose trials. Pediatrics