Several honey brands are marketed to athletes and body builders. These brands advertise that honey can improve gym performance because it is a natural source of quick-digested carbohydrates, potentially aiding muscle recovery during and after exercise.

This 2021 study, from the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry in Japan, showed that giving heart patients honey combined with floral pollen improved patients’ tolerance for physical exercise. The study suggests that honey may help increase the ability to exercise in sick, as well as older populations.

In 2019 Leeds Trinity University’s Dr. Samuel P. Hills published a review of how honey supplements affect exercise. Dr. Hills pointed out that honey has promising effects which is leading to more research on using honey to improve athletic performance and muscle recovery following exercise.

This School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia’s 2015 study showed that honey drinks were better than water for runners in hot weather. The honey drinks improved performance and glucose metabolism compared to plain water.