When we were kids, we were amused by a silly poem that went like this:
“I eat my peas with honey.
“I’ve done it all my life.
“It makes the peas taste funny,
“but it keeps them on my knife.”
We were equally intrigued recently when a reader reported benefit from taking aspirin with honey. Have you tried it?
Do You Take Your Aspirin with Honey?
Q. My mother has neck and back pain and sees a physical therapist for it. When her PT was unavailable for a few weeks, she was in considerable pain.
I suggested she take aspirin for pain relief, but it gives her terrible heartburn. (All NSAIDs do.) A few weeks ago, I read about a study in which rats with NSAID-induced ulcers were given honey. In two weeks, the honey had healed 83 percent of the ulcers and protected their stomachs from further damage.
I decided to perform an experiment: Mom agreed to try taking honey with her aspirin. The result: no heartburn! I may be more excited than she is because my experiment has worked so well. Maybe this has the potential to help other people who have to take aspirin for a medical condition but experience irritation.
Science Supports Rats Taking Aspirin with Honey:
A. Your experiment is fascinating. A review of research suggests that honey can heal ulcers in rats (Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, July 15, 2018). That said, until there is a clinical trial with human subjects, this approach is at best experimental. If your mother is interested in other in other unusual approaches to easing joint pain, she may want to read our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis. It is available as an electronic resource or as a 100-page printed book.
