The use of honey as a natural preventive therapy of cognitive decline and dementia in Iraq

Abstract EN

Honey is one nature's most splendid gifts to mankind.

It posses unique nutritional and medicinal properties.

Honey is old as written history and it was used to treat amnesia.

A randomized, placebo controlled, double blind,5 year study with 2290 cognitively intact subjects and 603 with a mild cognitive impairment (total 2893 ,aged 65 and older),randomized to one daily tablespoon of honey or placebo.

Honey was given to 1493 subjects, while only1400 received placebo.

Dementia assessment was done every 6 months.

This study was conducted in Iraq from Nov.2003 to Nov.

2008.

As a total, only 489 subjects developed dementia.

It was seen in 394 of those receiving placebo and only in 95 subjects receiving honey (P-value <0.05(.

Honey and it's properties is considered one of the natural preventive therapies of both cognitive decline and dementia.

It has antioxidant properties and it enhances the brain's cholinergic system and circulation.

Further studies are needed to investigate the role of honey in slowing the progression of dementia and if it has any antiamyloid properties.