Acute Effects of Honey-Based Carbohydrate Beverage on Intermittent Exercise Performance and Heart Rate Recovery in Recreational Athletes

Nutritional strategies that enhance exercise performance and recovery have been widely investigated. Carbohydrate-based beverages are known to improve energy availability and delay fatigue during exercise. This study aimed to examine the acute effects of a honey-based carbohydrate beverage on intermittent exercise performance and heart rate recovery in recreationally active individuals. A total of 21 recreationally active participants (16 males and 5 females; mean age: 19.5±1.1 years) participated in a within-subject repeated-measures

Design: . Participants completed the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 under control and supplementation conditions separated by a two-week washout period. In the experimental condition, participants consumed a beverage containing 15 g of honey (60 kcal) 30 minutes prior to testing. Total distance covered, estimated VO₂max, and rate of perceived exertion were recorded, and heart rate was assessed pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and at 1 and 2 minutes of recovery. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests.

Results: showed a significant reduction in end-exercise heart rate (p=0.038) and 1-minute post-exercise heart rate (p=0.007) following honey ingestion, whereas no significant differences were observed for pre-exercise heart rate, 2-minute post-exercise heart rate, total distance covered, estimated VO₂max, or rate of perceived exertion (p > 0.05). These

Findings: indicate that acute ingestion of a honey-based carbohydrate beverage was associated with lower end-exercise and 1-minute post-exercise heart rate values, suggesting improved early-phase heart rate recovery, without affecting intermittent exercise performance or rate of perceived exertion. This suggests that even a relatively low dose of natural carbohydrate may positively influence post-exercise cardiovascular recovery in recreationally active individuals.