Manuka Honey for Fertility Explained

Disclaimer: We do not recommend the use of Manuka honey as a replacement for seeking professional medical help. Always consult medical professionals in an emergency.

Did you know that infertility affects around one in six adults worldwide¹? And it doesn’t discriminate.

Countries of high-, medium-, and low-income show similar rates of infertility, and yet the solutions for prevention and treatment are widely underfunded and often inaccessible¹.

With Manuka honey’s enduring reputation for health and wellness, it’s no wonder that people are asking whether it’s any good for fertility issues.

In this blog, we’ll be exploring why you might want to try Manuka honey for fertility, both for men and women, and how to use Manuka honey to support fertility issues.

Plus, which Manuka honey is best for reproductive health and other fertility-boosting foods to pair with it.

In this guide to using Manuka honey for fertility:

• Can you use Manuka honey for fertility?

• Which Manuka honey is best for fertility?

• How to use Manuka honey for fertility

• Where to buy your honey for fertility?

Can You Use Manuka Honey for Fertility?

“Historically, honey is traditionally used in many cultures to enhance fertility in women and men. The adaptation of traditional practices remains relevant amongst complementary and alternative medicine practitioners.”

- Protective roles of honey in reproductive health, 2021 study².

Modern studies have highlighted the potential benefits of using Manuka honey for fertility issues, but using honey for fertility dates at least as far back as Ancient Egypt³.

Did you know that the word “honeymoon” is believed to come from the tradition of a newlywed couple consuming honeymead to boost fertility after getting married?

Fertility issues are prevalent throughout the world and are caused by a huge range of factors like age, lifestyle, weight, genetics, other conditions, and so much more⁴.

The benefits of Manuka honey are just as wide-ranging and versatile, thanks to its antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

It has shown to help with general health and wellness support like boosting immunity and maintaining energy. Or it may help in the managing the symptoms of specific ailments and conditions like wound healing, reflux, sinus infections, allergies, viruses, asthma, arthritis, and even cancer.

So using honey for health is nothing new, but something is - the scientific evidence to back it up.

(Well, not “new” exactly. It’s been going on for a few decades now⁵).

Let’s take a look at what we know so far about using Manuka honey for fertility.

Using honey for female fertility

“In Malaysia, honey is extensively used by traditional practitioners as an efficacious ingredient for the production of the nutraceutical products maajun and jamu. These products are used to strengthen the reproductive tract (vagina and uterus) and improve egg quality.”

- Protective roles of honey in reproductive health, 2021 study².

Thanks to its potent antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, Manuka honey could help to boost female fertility in a number of ways.

Here are some of the key recommendations for women wanting to preserve their reproductive health⁶ that Manuka honey can help with:

• Maintain a healthy weight: Manuka honey is the best natural sweetener because not only can it enhance the flavour of your food, but it offers extra vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds without that sugar rush (and crash). Manuka honey helps the body release energy slowly, keeps you feeling full for longer, and curbs those cravings that can make weight loss or maintenance a daily struggle.

• Eat plenty of antioxidants: Oxidative stress can damage our cells and tissues leading to illness or disease, and this happens when we don’t consume enough antioxidants to counteract the effects⁷. Manuka honey is a more potent antioxidant than other honey types⁸ thanks to its high polyphenol content⁹.

• Manage stress levels: Honey has been found to offer neuroprotective and anti-stress benefits for the brain¹⁰. As a newer area of research, much of this has been conducted on non-human animals. But the findings are promising, and enjoying a warm cuppa with some delicious Manuka honey stirred in sounds like quintessential hygge (cosiness) to us!

• Maintain a balanced diet: We all need a little bit of sweetness in our lives, and with Manuka honey, it doesn’t have to be bad for our health. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a spoonful of caramel goodness that will keep you happy and on track. Recent research also suggests that Manuka honey may have prebiotic benefits, and help us to maintain a healthy gut microbiome¹¹ - though more investigation is underway.

• Exercise: Manuka honey gives our bodies the glucose, amino acids and polyphenols it needs to sustain energy during exercise and repair cells during recovery¹². Staying active is important for good reproductive health, and with Manuka honey, it’s that bit sweeter.

Digging a little deeper, here are some findings from more specific studies looking at particular fertility issues and benefits:

• Oestrogenic effects: Thanks to its flavonoid and polyphenol content, honey helps to protect the vagina and uterus against extra oxidative stress caused by fluctuating hormones or reproductive issues¹³.

• Preventing vaginal atrophy: Honey may help to prevent the atrophy (wasting away) of female reproductive organs due to hormonal changes or imbalance¹⁴.

• Treating vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC): VVC is a yeast infection which affects around 75% of women at least once in their life². It can impact a woman's quality of life, self-esteem, and intimate relationships, which can, in turn, compromise reproductive success. Manuka honey is antifungal, and studies have found honey to be a promising, accessible treatment for VVC¹⁵ comparable to the prescription cream alternative¹³. Eating Manuka honey or applying it topically may help to relieve VVC symptoms.

• Pregnancy and recovery: It is considered safe and beneficial for pregnant women to eat Manuka honey¹⁶. It offers important nutrients for pregnancy like zinc, iron, potassium, phosphorus, and vitamin B. Incredibly, studies even suggest that the benefits mothers receive from consuming Manuka honey may also benefit the foetus, though these impacts are yet to be fully investigated¹⁰.

You might find some advice online about using Manuka honey for female fertility and reproductive health topically.

This could be beneficial for external complaints like VVC. But we recommend eating your Manuka honey for maximum enjoyment and healing from the inside out!

Keep scrolling for ways to use Manuka honey for men’s fertility.

Honey for artificial fertility treatment

We bet you didn’t expect this benefit of honey when it comes to fertility.

It turns out that the protective environment that honey creates when it comes to healing wounds, regenerating tissue, and keeping out bacteria can actually protect sperm when it’s outside of the body.

And this has real application in the world of in-vitro fertilisation:

“Honey’s unique composition, as well as its dehydrating and preserving properties, qualify it to be used as a natural cryoprotectant. It is now proved as a non-toxic and highly efficient natural cryoprotectant in fertility preservation because its increasing viscosity at low temperature can provide a protective barrier to cells by reducing ice formation.

Furthermore, its antioxidant property plays a vital role in protecting the cells from thermal damage by reducing the reactive oxygen species.”

- The natural cryoprotectant: Honey for fertility cryopreservation, 2022 study²¹.

Whilst this isn’t something you can benefit from at home, it does demonstrate the huge versatility of honey in health and medicine more widely.

But are all types of honey (and Manuka honey, more specifically) good for fertility?

Maybe not. Let’s see why.

Get Your Premium Fertility Honey from New Zealand Honey Co.

When you’re trying to conceive, you’re extra conscious about what goes into your body. After all, creating a human is no easy feat.

Make sure that you get the purest, most authentic product with the best chance of results by opting for UMF™ Certified Manuka honey from New Zealand Honey Co.

Not only is it independently tested for purity and freshness, but it’s non-GMO, glyphosate-free, Halal and Kosher, and sustainably packaged.

Here’s why our customers love New Zealand Honey Co.

“My favourite brand of Manuka. I have tried a few different brands of Manuka honey, but this one has the best flavor. I always eat a heaping spoonful when I have a sore throat or cough, and it really helps to ease the pain. It has been great during my pregnancy when I can't have other cold medication. I use it on wounds as well.”

- Shelbie S., verified buyer | UMF™ 15+ | MGO 514+

“Best honey on the market. I will continue to order it every month. I have seen much improvement in my overall health!”

- Dushitsa K., verified buyer | UMF™ 24+ | MGO 1122+

Shop the range.

Unsure which grade is right for you?

Take the quiz.

Suggested further reading:

• The Seductive Truth About Manuka Honey for Sexual Benefits

• Is Manuka Honey the Best Libido Booster for Men? 

• Manuka Honey for Pregnancy and Recovery

• Is Manuka Honey Worth It? It Depends. Here’s Why…

Sources:

¹ 1 in 6 people globally affected by infertility, World Health Organization.

² Protective roles of honey in reproductive health: A review, National Library of Medicine.

³ Role of honey in modern medicine, National Library of Medicine.

⁴ Infertility, NHS.

⁵ The story of NZ Manuka honey, New Zealand Honey Co.

⁶ Female fertility: Why lifestyle choices count, Mayo Clinic.

⁷ Oxidative stress, Cleveland Clinic.

⁸ Multidimensional comparative analysis of bioactive phenolic compounds of honeys of various origin, National Library of Medicine.

⁹ The antioxidant potential of commercial Manuka honey from New Zealand—Biochemical and cellular studies, MDPI.

¹⁰ Honey on brain health: A promising brain booster, Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience.

¹¹ The potential of honey as a prebiotic food to re-engineer the gut microbiome toward a healthy state, National Library of Medicine.

¹² Manuka honey: Pre-workout superfood, New Zealand Honey Co.

¹³ Augmentation of the female reproductive system using honey: A mini systematic review, MDPI.

¹⁴ Manuka honey and menopause, New Zealand Honey Co.

¹⁵ Treating (recurrent) Vulvovaginal Candidiasis with medical-grade honey—concepts and practical considerations, MDPI.

¹⁶ Manuka honey for pregnancy and recovery, New Zealand Honey Co.

¹⁷ Mechanisms of honey on testosterone levels, Science Direct.

¹⁸ Manuka honey and testosterone, New Zealand Honey Co.

¹⁹ The sexual benefits of Manuka honey, New Zealand Honey Co.

²⁰ Honey improves sperm parameters in high cholesterol diet-fed male rabbits, ASM Science Journal.

²¹ The natural cryoprotectant honey for fertility cryopreservation, National Library of Medicine.

²² 6 foods that boost fertility, UCLA Health.

²³ Have a healthy diet in pregnancy, NHS.