What is Mad Honey from Nepal? Effects and legality explored in wake of Joe Rogan usage

Mad Honey has always been described as a harmless product. However, Joe Rogan and comedian Sam Tallent recently decided to discuss the legal usage of the product in the US during the latest episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Rogan has tried the fluid in the past and asked Sam to try it as well. But he also gave a warning about the negative effects of the product and told Tallent to try it in small quantities.

Mad Honey has been mentioned frequently on the podcast, but the eagerness to learn more about the product has increased since the episode aired.

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The product can be purchased in the US without any legal problems, but it is sold as a dietary and herbal supplement or cosmetic ingredient. It can be helpful to solve health-related problems like a weak immune system, inflammation or pain, poor digestion, anxiety, stress, and allergies.

However, it is recommended to consume the fluid in less quantity as it can have a negative impact on the body. Common complications include allergies, diarrhea, nausea, high blood pressure, and heart palpitations.

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Mad Honey: Origins, side effects, and more

Mad Money can be found in Nepal and Turkey (Image via Matador Network)

Mad Honey is completely different compared to normal honey. It is currently banned in a few countries, including Australia, South Korea, and the UK and is accessible at a price range from $6 to $50 through online shopping platforms like Amazon and Etsy.

It can be commonly found in the mountainous regions of Nepal and Turkey. Like normal honey, bees are involved in the creation of Mad Honey.

The bees feed on a plant called rhododendron ponticum and the fluid is accumulated by gatherers in the mountains where they hang on the ropes. The bees are smoked out with fire burned below the cliff and the honey is extracted from inside.

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It is redder and bitter but its effects are also different. It can lead to euphoria, light-headedness, and dizziness even if consumed in low quantities, and there can be severe complications with high doses including vomiting, hallucinations, loss of consciousness, seizure, and even death.

Mad Honey is rarely found and the harvesting process is not easy. Moreover, it is rarely consumed in Nepal and Turkey.

The product is being used for 2500 years and the first recorded instance was back in 401 BCE when Xenophon, a Greek philosopher, added a story titled Anabasis, based on Athenian soldiers who consumed the honey.

The fluid's global trade expanded and was exported to different countries, including Europe, during the 18th century. The international following of the fluid has also increased with time.