Combined Effect of Honey Supplementation and Walking Exercise on Antioxidant Enzyme Markers in 50 to 65 Years Old Postmenopausal Women

Authors

  • Foong Kiew Ooi School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Nur Zulaikha Zahari School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Chee Keong Chen School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Nik Hazlina Nik School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16510 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9476-062X
  • Hussain Mahaneem Mohamed Department of Physiology and Unit of Integrative Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16510 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9333-1957
  • Nur Syamsina Ahmad School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-9698-7083
  • Norhabilla Che Nordin School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
  • Muhammad Afiq Azman School of Health Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31674/mjmr.2025.v09i03.002

Abstract

Background: This study examined how honey supplements and walking exercise affected antioxidant enzymes in postmenopausal women between the ages of 50 and 65 years old. Methods: Forty participants were split into four groups: walking exercise alone (Ex), honey supplementation alone (H), sedentary without honey supplementation control (C), and combination honey supplementation and walking exercise (HEx) groups. The H group consumed 20g of honey daily for six weeks, while the Ex group performed walking exercises 30 min per day, thrice a week for six weeks. The HEx group followed both regimens. Anthropometry, body composition, levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the blood were measured. Statistical analysis was performed by using repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: There are significant increases in body weight in C, H and Ex groups but no significant changes in body fat percentage in all the groups. SOD levels remained unchanged in all the groups However, the Ex-group’s GPx was significantly greater (p=0.016) at the post-test than it was at the pre-test. Additionally, a propensity for a significant rise (p=0.05) in GPx relative to its pre-test value was observed in the HEx group. Conclusion: The results suggest that giving postmenopausal women aged 50 to 65 honey supplements for six weeks had no discernible effect on their GPx activity. However, walking exercise and their combination with honey supplementation have the potential to increase GPx activity. Nevertheless, more studies with longer study duration are warranted to confirm their efficacy.

Keywords:

Antioxidant Enzymes, Honey Supplementation, Postmenopausal Women, Walking Exercise

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References

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Published

08-07-2025

How to Cite

Ooi, F. K. ., Zahari, N. Z. ., Chen, C. K. ., Nik, N. H. ., Mohamed, H. M., Ahmad, N. S. ., Nordin, N. C. ., & Azman, M. A. . (2025). Combined Effect of Honey Supplementation and Walking Exercise on Antioxidant Enzyme Markers in 50 to 65 Years Old Postmenopausal Women. Malaysian Journal of Medical Research (MJMR), 9(3), 9-19. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjmr.2025.v09i03.002

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