Mad honey is a rare type of honey produced in Nepal and Turkey by bees living on mountain slopes. It has a reddish color and slightly bitter taste and comes from the Apis dorsata laboriosa, the largest honey bee in the world. Mad honey has unusual effects on the body when consumed. At lower doses, it can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and feelings of euphoria. More doses can cause hallucinations, vomiting, seizures, loss of consciousness, and, in ultimately rare cases, death.
The psychoactive effects of mad honey are not caused by the bees themselves but rather by the plants they feed on in certain regions: rhododendrons. These flowering plants contain a group of neurotoxic compounds called grayanotoxins, which bees can ingest when they feed on the nectar and pollen of certain types of rhododendrons. The grayanotoxins eventually make their way into the honey produced by the bees, making it "mad."
Bees are more likely to produce mad honey in areas where rhododendrons are dominant because, with fewer plant options available, the bees are more likely to feed almost exclusively on rhododendrons and consume more grayanotoxins, resulting in especially pure mad honey. However, it can be difficult to access honeycombs that contain mad honey because rhododendrons often grow at higher altitudes, and bees tend to build their hives on cliffs near these plants, requiring harvesters to climb steep mountain slopes to collect the honey.
Psychedelic and Healing Properties
Harvesters willing to brave the difficulties of collecting mad honey can profit from its high value. In a report from The Guardian, a kilogram of high-quality mad honey can sell for around $360 in Turkey, and National Geographic reports that a pound of mad honey fetches around $60 on Asian black markets. Overall, mad honey is worth significantly more than regular honey.
While the medicinal benefits of mad honey are not well understood, it is certain that consuming too much of it, which is rich in grayanotoxins, can be poisonous to humans and cause dangerous decreases in blood pressure and heart rate. While Turkey reports around a dozen cases of mad honey poisoning each year, a study published in Cardiovascular Toxicology in 2012 noted that it is rare for people to die from the substance, although there have been reported cases of animal deaths due to mad honey.
According to Forensic toxicologist Justin Brower, consuming mad honey can lead to symptoms such as increased sweating, salivation, and nausea, which typically disappear within 24 hours, as was the case for a man in Seattle who experienced mad honey poisoning in 2011. The amount of mad honey required to cause poisoning varies depending on the individual and the quality of the honey, but a report published in RSC Advances in 2018 stated that consumption of around 15-30 g of mad honey could lead to intoxication, with symptoms appearing half to 4 hours after consumption. The level of intoxication depends not only on the amount of mad honey consumed but also on the concentration of grayanotoxins in the honey and the production season. It can become poisoned from consuming as little as one teaspoon of mad honey.
Mad Honey: History and Present Cultivation
The strange effects of mad honey have fascinated people in the Black Sea region for thousands of years. One of the earliest recorded instances of its use dates back to 401 BCE when Greek soldiers marching through the Turkish town of Trabzon encountered a supply of mad honey. Centuries later, in 67 BCE, Roman soldiers were not so fortunate. While pursuing King Mithridates of Pontus and his Persian army, they stumbled upon mad honey that the Persians had left behind intentionally as a bioweapon.
However, mad honey was more commonly used for non-violent purposes. People in the Black Sea region have long consumed small amounts of mad honey (about a teaspoon) in boiling milk or on its own for pleasure and as a traditional medicine. In the 18th century, merchants in the Black Sea region sold honey to Europeans, who infused it into liquor to experience its milder effects.
Beekeepers in Nepal and Turkey still produce mad honey today, although it represents a small portion of the total honey production in these countries. Nepal and Turkey allow the production, sale, and export of mad honey, but it is illegal in other countries, such as South Korea, which banned the substance in 2005.
While interested buyers in the United States can purchase mad honey from Nepal and Turkey, it might be safer to stick with regular honey. According to the website of the non-profit psychedelic research organization Erowid.org, some people who have tried mad honey have reported negative experiences and have advised against trying it. One user reported suffering mad honey poisoning after taking too much, stating that the symptoms can be life-threatening and hoping their report might help prevent others from making the same mistake.
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