Comparative effects of lime juice with brown sugar versus lime juice with honey supplementation on liver function tests and digestive health of healthy adults

Abstract

Honey and lime (Citrus microcarpa) are known to have antioxidant properties and have been used for traditional medical purposes. Honey and lime juice have shown positive hepatoprotective effects in animals and human studies, respectively. No studies have documented the effects of a combination of honey and lime juice on liver function tests. The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of lime juice mixed with brown sugar vs lime juice mixed with honey on liver function tests and digestive health among healthy adults. A randomized study was carried out involving 34 healthy adults (14 males and 20 females) aged between 20 and 50 years. Face-to-face interviews for health screening were conducted and data were collected using a questionnaire. The supplementation was taken daily for 30 days early in the morning at the restaurant of the School of Food Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu. Venous blood was collected before and after supplementation, to determine any changes of the liver function test enzymes. Most serum enzymes in the lime juice mixed with honey group did not change significantly. However, there were significant decreases in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in both groups in both males (-46.1%) and females (-35.6%). In terms of digestive health that was measured using questionnaires, lime juice is more beneficial than honey mixed with lime juice. Glutamic oxalate transaminase (GOT) was decreased with lime juice mixed with honey (-5.1%) but increased with lime juice mixed with brown sugar (13.5%). Based on the present study, it may be suggested that the beneficial effects observed might be influenced by the baseline levels of the parameters. This study provides support for the use of lime juice for improving digestive health among healthy adults.