Lupus and the Lungs: The Assessment and Management of Pulmonary Manifestations of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

What's The Connection Between Botulism And Honey?

Honey has been used as a food and medicine for thousands of years — and for good reason.

Not only does research suggest that it may help in managing various types of diseases, such as diabetes, but it has also been shown to have anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Honey can also be a healthy and delicious addition to your diet. However, it's a food source that can become contaminated with bacteria that cause botulism. Even though botulism is rare, it's potentially fatal and requires immediate medical attention.

Keep reading to find out who's at the highest risk of developing botulism from honey and how you can lower your chances of developing this serious illness.

Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness caused by a toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. The illness targets your nervous system and can lead to paralysis and respiratory failure.

The most common way to get botulism is by consuming food contaminated with the bacteria. You can also get it by:

breathing in spores

coming into contact with contaminated soil

through open wounds

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the bacteria Clostridium botulinum produces seven types of spores. But only four types can lead to botulism in humans, and one is very rare.

These spores grow in oxygen-free conditions and thrive in improperly stored fermented and home-canned foods.

Honey is one of the most common sources of botulism. About 20 percent of botulism cases involve honey or corn syrup.

One 2018 study looked at 240 multifloral honey samples from Poland. The researchers found that 2.1 percent of the samples contained the bacteria responsible for producing the botulinum neurotoxin. The researchers also noted that their results are in line with results from other countries.

Infants and children under 12 months are at the highest risk of developing botulism from honey. This is because they don't have the same defenses as older children to fight the spores in their digestive system.

The Mayo Clinic advises against giving honey to children under 12 months of age.

About 90 percent of botulism cases occur in infants younger than 6 months old. Children under 12 months are also at a heightened risk of developing botulism.

Older children and adults have digestive systems that are better equipped to fight off the bacterial spores found in contaminated foods like honey.

The bacteria Clostridium botulinum can germinate in the digestive tract of children younger than 12 months old. Because of this, symptoms of botulism might not develop until 1 month after exposure.

According to the CDC, you may also be at an elevated risk of developing botulism if you:

make and eat home-fermented or canned foods

drink homemade alcohol

get cosmetic botulinum toxin injections

inject certain drugs, such as black tar heroin

Symptoms usually appear around 12 to 36 hours after being exposed to the toxin.

In adults and older children, botulism causes weakness in the muscles around the eyes, mouth, and throat. Eventually, the weakness spreads to the neck, arms, trunk, and legs.

Signs that you may have botulism include:

For infants, the first symptoms often begin with:

Botulism is potentially fatal and requires prompt medical attention. If your doctor suspects you've been contaminated with botulism, they'll likely order a lab test to confirm the presence of the bacteria in your stool or blood.

Botulism is usually treated with a botulinum antitoxin drug to fight the illness. The drug prevents botulism from further damaging the nerves. Neuromuscular function will eventually regenerate once the toxin is flushed from your body.

If symptoms are severe, it may cause breathing failure. If this happens, mechanical ventilation may be needed, which could last for several months.

Modern medicine has helped to drastically increase the survival rate of botulism. Fifty years ago, about 50 percent of people died from botulism, according to the CDC. But today, it's fatal in less than 5 percent of cases.

Infants with botulism are treated similarly to adults. The antitoxin drug BabyBIG® is usually given to infants in the United States. Most infants that get botulism make a full recovery.

Botulism is a rare but potentially fatal illness that affects your nervous system. Infants are at the highest risk of developing botulism.

Honey is a common cause of botulism in babies under 12 months old. Children under 1 year of age shouldn't be given any type of honey due to the risk of botulism.

If you think that you, your child, or someone else may have botulism, it's important to seek immediate medical attention.

When Can A Baby Have Honey?

You may have heard about some of the benefits of honey. Parents looking for an alternative to sugar often turn to honey as a more natural choice. However, you should not give honey to your baby if they are under the age of one. Honey can cause botulism, which is a type of food poisoning, in babies under one year old. Babies should not have honey in any form, even cooked in baked goods.

Learn about the dangers of giving honey to babies and when it's safe for your baby to eat honey. When given at the right age, honey can be a part of your child's healthy diet. 

Giving honey to babies under 12 months has been associated with a rare, but serious, condition called infant botulism. Infant botulism is caused by exposure to the spores of a bacterium. Clostridium botulinum bacteria spores can grow and multiply in your baby's intestines. This produces a dangerous toxin that causes infant botulism. 

Infant botulism occurs most often in babies under six months old. Most adults and older children have defenses in their intestines that prevent the spores from germinating and reproducing. Honey is not the only source of the spores that cause botulism. These spores can also be present in soil or dust. The symptoms of infant botulism can be mild or severe and can include: 

Overall weakness or floppiness

Slow feeding

Constipation

Loss of facial expression

Reduced gag reflex

Because honey is a natural sweetener, many people think it's healthier than sugar. Honey does contain trace amounts of:

Vitamins

Minerals

Electrolytes

Enzymes

Amino acids

Flavonoids

However, to get the benefits of these nutrients, you would have to eat far more honey than is healthy. Honey is a sugar and is high in calories. Honey is considered an added sugar, so it should be eaten in moderation.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that you not give children under the age of 2 any added sugars at all. The sugar that naturally occurs in fruits, whole grains, beans, or dairy is not considered added sugar. These natural sugars are necessary for your baby to grow and develop. Added sugars may be labeled as sucrose, dextrose, and, yes, honey. These are associated with a higher risk of insulin resistance, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes. 

Once your toddler is two, the AAP recommends they have no more than 25 grams, or 6 teaspoons, of added sugars daily. Honey can be used in place of sugar as long as it doesn't exceed the recommended amount. 

Cough suppressant. One clear benefit of honey is how effective it is as a cough suppressant. In a study of 105 children ages 2 to 18 who had upper respiratory infections, honey was more effective at relieving nighttime coughing than cough medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the AAP recommend honey as a natural and effective cough suppressant. 

Wound healing. Honey has also been shown to be effective in treating some wounds and burns. Honey has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties. Some studies have shown honey to be as effective as conventional treatments for acute wounds and superficial partial-thickness burns. However, more studies will need to be done to recommend it for medical use. 

There are over 300 types of honey. You can buy honey that is either raw or pasteurized. Unlike some raw foods, raw honey is considered safe to eat for children over 12 months old. Raw honey is the least processed type of honey and probably has the most nutrients. Honey's flavor and color change depending on the type of plants that bees use to make it.  

Some of the different types of honey include: 

Acacia honey. This light honey has a floral scent but doesn't change the taste of foods you use it in.

Clover honey. This is the most common type of honey in the US. It's a light honey with a sweet taste. It has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. 

Buckwheat honey. This is dark, full-flavored honey that is good in marmalade. This is also the type of honey that was used in the study as a cough suppressant. 

Manuka honey. This is a dark honey that is made from the Manuka bush in New Zealand. It contains antioxidants, along with antibacterial and antifungal properties. It has been used topically to treat burns, cuts, and sores. 

Why Babies Can't Have Honey And What To Do If They Ingest Some

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