Has Ben Carson publicly promoted honey as a remedy for dementia or Alzheimer's?
Executive summary
Ben Carson has not been shown to have publicly promoted honey as a remedy for dementia or Alzheimer’s; multiple fact‑checks tying Carson to miracle cures or nasal sprays explicitly say there is no evidence he endorsed or invented such products (AFP, USA TODAY, Reuters) [1][2][3]. Carson has a record of appearing in or being linked to marketing for dietary supplements in the past, but that history does not equate to any documented public promotion of honey for Alzheimer’s (CNN) [4].
1. What the viral claims allege and where they came from
Recent social posts and fake “news” pages have circulated clips and fabricated articles claiming Ben Carson invented or endorsed treatments that “prevent” or “reverse” Alzheimer’s — including an alleged nasal spray called AlzClipp — and those pages often mimic reputable outlets to look authentic, a tactic debunked by AFP and USA TODAY fact checks [1][2].
2. What independent fact‑checkers actually found about Carson’s involvement
Investigations by AFP, USA TODAY and Reuters reached the same conclusion: the headlines and screenshots are fabricated, the sites have no real affiliation with the news organizations they mimic, and Carson has “no connection” to the Alzheimer’s product being advertised; Carson’s representatives called those claims fake and scams [1][2][3].
3. Carson’s past relationship with supplements — context, not a smoking gun
Carson’s name has appeared in marketing for nutritional products before: he gave speeches for Mannatech and in interviews endorsed taking a product for general immunity, and has said his mother used some supplements and he believed they helped her, a history that fact‑checkers and CNN have reported while noting lack of clinical proof for the products [4]. That prior association explains why his image is attractive to promoters, but it is not proof he promoted honey for dementia.
4. No reliable evidence he promoted honey specifically
There are no cited examples in the assembled reporting showing Carson recommending honey as a dementia treatment; the fact checks that dismantle manufactured endorsements focus on the absence of any verified Carson statements or affiliations with the advertised Alzheimer’s remedies [1][5][2][3]. If Carson has ever publicly advocated honey for Alzheimer’s, those statements do not appear in the available fact‑checked record.
5. Why honey keeps surfacing in the conversation about brain health
Scientific literature and review articles explore honey’s antioxidant and anti‑inflammatory compounds and report preliminary neuroprotective effects in lab and animal studies, leading some researchers to call honey a promising natural adjunct — but these reviews stress evidence is preliminary and human clinical proof is lacking [6][7]. Popular wellness sites then distill early research into definitive “tricks,” which can be amplified in social posts that attach celebrity names to gain traction [8][6].
6. The commercial incentive and misinformation mechanics
The fact checks emphasize a common pattern: unscrupulous marketers create faux news stories and fake celebrity endorsements to sell supplements or devices, and those posts mislead consumers while benefiting vendors through clicks and sales; the U.S. FDA and National Institute on Aging warn about such health‑fraud tactics online [5][1]. Carson’s previous commercial ties make him a frequent target of these schemes, even when he has disavowed or had no involvement in the products being pushed [4][5].
7. Bottom line — the direct answer
Based on available reporting and multiple independent fact checks, Ben Carson has not publicly promoted honey as a remedy for dementia or Alzheimer’s; claims that he did are either fabricated endorsements or conflations with his unrelated past supplement appearances, and the scientific discussion about honey’s potential benefits remains preliminary and does not validate cure claims [1][2][4][6].