Safety Standard Archives - Cliff Mad Honey Index

Mad Honey and Alcohol: Why Combining Them Is Risky

Diagram showing mad honey and alcohol both lowering blood pressure leading to combined drop and higher fainting risk, with note that alcohol also masks early warning signs

Combining mad honey and alcohol is not advisable, because the two act on the cardiovascular system in overlapping ways that can add together. Both can lower blood pressure, both can make a person feel dizzy and unsteady, and alcohol can mask the early warning signs that would otherwise tell someone their grayanotoxin exposure is becoming […]

Mad Honey Poisoning Treatment Protocol: Stepwise Clinical Management with Pharmacological Rationale

CMHI mad honey poisoning treatment protocol flowchart showing four steps: IV saline for hypotension, atropine IV for bradycardia and AV block, catecholamine support if haemodynamic compromise persists, and a temporary pacemaker for complete AV block unresponsive to atropine

This article documents the clinical management protocol for grayanotoxin (GTX) poisoning from mad honey consumption, as established in the peer-reviewed literature, primarily Ullah et al. (2018), Jansen et al. (2012), and the case series synthesised by Silici and Atayoglu (2015). It is a reference document for emergency medicine clinicians, internal medicine physicians, cardiologists, and medical […]

Mad Honey Dosage: Why No Safe Dose Has Been Established

Comparison of two mad honey jars showing Batch A at 0.75 micrograms per gram GTX-I versus Batch B at 64.86 micrograms per gram, illustrating 86x concentration difference in same gram weight

Mad honey is honey containing grayanotoxins, a family of plant toxins carried over from the nectar of certain Rhododendron species. The question of how much can be consumed without harm is the one most often asked about it, and it is the one the evidence is least able to answer. This page sets out why, […]

Buying Authentic Mad Honey: What Can Be Verified and What Cannot

Infographic showing that only a batch-specific laboratory certificate verifies mad honey content while colour, texture, taste, throat sensation, price and origin story verify nothing

Only one thing establishes how much grayanotoxin a jar of mad honey contains: a laboratory analysis of that specific batch. Nothing else does. Not the colour, not the taste, not the tingle at the back of the throat, not the price, not the photographs of rope descent, not the words raw, wild, pure, authentic, or […]

The Cliff Mad Honey Safety Standard: GTX Concentration Risk Classification (v1.0)

Mad honey safety standard GTX concentration bands chart showing four levels: trace under 1 mg/kg with mild euphoria, low 1-10 mg/kg with lightheadedness, moderate 10-30 mg/kg with dizziness and nausea, high over 30 mg/kg with hypotension and bradycardia

A mad honey lab report shows a single number measured in milligrams per kilogram, and a seller will often translate that into a word: low, moderate, or strong. Until now, there has been no shared, public definition of what those words actually mean. The Cliff Mad Honey Safety Standard exists to close that gap. The […]

Mad Honey and Medication Interactions: What the Research Shows

Amber honey drip and teal pharmaceutical capsules connected by glowing molecular bond structures, illustrating mad honey drug interactions

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you take any prescription or over-the-counter medications, consult a healthcare provider before consuming mad honey. If you experience symptoms after consuming mad honey while on any medication, contact Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or emergency services. KEY TAKEAWAYS […]

Emergency Response: Recognising and Responding to Mad Honey Adverse Effects

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER IMPORTANT: If you or someone else is experiencing severe symptoms (unconsciousness, inability to stand, heart rate below 40 bpm, or difficulty breathing) call emergency services (911 in the US, 999 in the UK, 112 in Europe) immediately. Do not wait. Poison Control (US): 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours, free, confidential)UK National Poisons Information Service: 0344 […]

How to Read a Mad Honey Lab Report (Certificate of Analysis)

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. A lab report does not guarantee safety. If you experience symptoms after consuming mad honey, contact Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or emergency services immediately. KEY TAKEAWAYS A Certificate of Analysis (COA) from a mad honey vendor should report […]

Mad Honey Exposure and Tolerability: What Clinical Case Studies Report

Glowing teal ECG heartbeat trace showing bradycardic pattern over faint amber honeycomb texture on dark navy background

MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Mad honey contains grayanotoxin, which can cause serious adverse effects, including cardiovascular events. If you experience symptoms after consuming mad honey, contact Poison Control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) or your local emergency services immediately. KEY TAKEAWAYS Published clinical literature documents […]

Grayanotoxin in Mad Honey: What the Research Says About Concentration & Safety

Dark amber mad honey jar with honey dipper dripping honey, surrounded by glowing teal molecular structures on deep navy background

Companion references: the grayanotoxin glossary defines every term used here, and the mad honey fact sheet for journalists collects the citable figures with their sources. Our sources sets out which journals this site draws on and how it grades evidence. MEDICAL DISCLAIMER This page is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Mad […]

Category: Safety Standard