The aim of this study was to evaluate the metabolic effects of 12-week honey consumption on patients suffering from type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM).

This was a randomized crossover clinical trial done in the National Institute for Diabetes and Endocrinology, Cairo, Egypt. Twenty patients of both sexes aged 4-18 years with type 1 DM and HbA1C < 10% participated in the study. They were randomized into two equal groups (intervention to control and control to intervention). The dietary intervention was 12-week honey consumption in a dose of 0.5 mL/kg body weight per day.

The main outcome measures were serum glucose, lipids, and C-peptide, and anthropometric measurements. None of participants were lost in follow-up. The intervention resulted in significant decreases in subscapular skin fold thickness, fasting serum glucose, total cholesterol, serum triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein, and significant increases in fasting C-peptide (FCP) and 2-h postprandial C-peptide (PCP). As possible long-term effects of honey after its withdrawal, statistically significant reductions in midarm circumference, triceps skin fold thickness, SSFT, FSG, 2-h postprandial serum glucose, TG, and HbA1C, and significant increases in FCP and PCP were observed.

This small clinical trial suggests that long-term consumption of honey might have positive effects on the metabolic derangements of type 1 DM.