The effect of mad honey on testosterone levels of male rats

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the effect of mad honey on sexual performance. BACKGROUND: In traditional medicine in Turkey, mad honey is used to improve appetite, to heighten mental alertness, to reduce joint pain, to eliminate gastrointestinal system pains and to increase sexual performance. METHODS: In this experimental animal study eighteen Sprague Dawley male rats were randomized into three groups, a control group, a normal honey group and a mad honey group. Rats in the treatment groups were given a daily dose of 80 mg/kg normal honey or mad honey throughout the 30-day study period. Total testosterone, free testosterone, FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone levels were subsequently investigated from blood sera on day 30. RESULTS: Comparison of blood total testosterone levels among the groups revealed significantly higher levels in the mad honey group compared to the normal honey and control groups (p = 0.006, p = 0.00). Free testosterone levels were also significantly higher in the mad honey group than in the normal honey and control groups (p = 0.023, p = 0.01). No statistically significant differences were determined for other hormonal measurements. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a significant increase in both total and free testosterone levels in mad-honey group (Tab. 1, Fig. 2, Ref. 16).