When a singer or actor's throat feels scratchy or their voice isn't cooperating, they often reach for a warm cup of tea can seem like an easy solution. But do popular remedies like Throat Coat tea, honey, and steam actually help the voice?
Some remedies have research supporting their use for vocal health, while others may only provide temporary relief or risk harm. Understanding the difference can help you make better decisions about caring for your voice.
Does Throat Coat tea actually work?
Throat Coat is a popular herbal tea that typically contains ingredients such as slippery elm, licorice root, and marshmallow root. These herbs have traditionally been used to soothe throat irritation.
Some ingredients contain compounds that create a coating sensation when they come into contact with irritated tissue. This may temporarily relieve dryness or discomfort. However, there is limited clinical research showing that Throat Coat or its herbal ingredients improve vocal fold function, restore vocal range, or treat vocal fold inflammation.
It is also important to remember that what you drink does not directly touch your vocal folds. Liquids travel down the esophagus, while the vocal folds sit in the airway. A warm drink may soothe your throat, but it does not coat or heal your vocal folds.¹
The takeaway: Throat Coat may make an irritated throat feel better, but there is not enough evidence to consider it a treatment for hoarseness or vocal injury.
What home remedies actually help a singer's voice?
1. Hydration: Strongest evidence
Staying hydrated is one of the simplest ways to support vocal function. Dehydration affects how vocal folds vibration and efficiency, and increases the effort required to produce sound. Dehydration negatively affected several measures of voice quality, including noise-to-harmonics ratio, shimmer, jittery, and the s/z ratio. Water intake improved these same measures as well as maximum phonation time.²
Drinking water consistently throughout the day is more useful than trying to catch up right before a performance. Vocal fold hydrations can take days to weeks to "catch up" to a period of dehydration.
2. Humidification and steam: Supporting evidence
Dry air can contribute to surface dehydration of the vocal folds. Using a clean humidifier, particularly in a dry environment, can help maintain moisture in the air.
Research has also found improvements in some voice measures following steam inhalation.² However, steam is not a treatment for vocal fold swelling or injury.
3. Honey and warm liquids: Helpful for throat discomfort
Warm liquids can soothe an irritated throat, while honey may help relieve coughing. These remedies can make you more comfortable when you're experiencing throat irritation. However, there is limited evidence that honey or warm tea directly improves vocal fold function or treats a vocal injury.³
Some formulations of honey have antibacterial properties that may also improve health.
4. Saltwater gargles: Limited evidence for vocal health
Gargling with warm salt water is a common home remedy for sore throat discomfort. It may temporarily relieve irritation in the back of the throat, but there is little evidence that it improves vocal fold function.
5. Herbal teas and supplements: Limited evidence
Ginger, lemon, slippery elm, licorice root, and other herbs are often included in products marketed for throat and voice health.
While some ingredients may provide temporary soothing relief, there is limited clinical evidence that these products improve vocal fold function or prevent voice injuries. Certain supplements can also have side effects or interact with medications. For example, licorice root can affect blood pressure and potassium levels.⁴
Before adding supplements or herbal products to your routine, check their ingredients and discuss potential risks with a healthcare professional.
What should singers avoid when their voice feels strained?
Home remedies cannot make up for habits that continue to irritate or strain the vocal folds. If your voice is hoarse, tired, or noticeably different, consider the following:
Avoid pushing through vocal fatigue. This can increase the risk of vocal injury.
Limit throat clearing. Try sipping water or swallowing instead of repeatedly clearing your throat.
Avoid smoking and vaping. Both irritate the airway and cause vocal folds inflammation.
Be mindful of reflux. Reflux, if severe, can impact the voice.
Give your voice time to rest. Vocal rest for a few hours or 1-2 days during illness is highly effective in improving swelling.
When should a singer see a voice specialist?
For professional voice users, it is especially important to check in with a laryngologist within 1-2 days of symptoms. Voice changes (hoarseness, increased effort, loss of range, etc) can signal injury which can result in far greater downtime or permanent injury if too much time passes before appropriate care is implemented. Stroboscopy can accurately assist diagnosis and early treatment to allow quick and complete recovery.
References
UT Southwestern Medical Center, “Voice Care: Sorting Fact from Fiction,” Voice Care.
M. Alves et al., “The Effect of Hydration on Voice Quality in Adults: A Systematic Review,” Journal of Voice 33, no. 1 (2019): 125.e13–125.e28, PubMed.
UT Southwestern Medical Center, “What to Include in Your Voice Care Lunchbox – and What to Leave Out,” Voice Care Tips.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, “Licorice Root: Usefulness and Safety,” NCCIH.
R. J. Stachler et al., “Clinical Practice Guideline: Hoarseness (Dysphonia) (Update),” Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery 158, no. 1_suppl (2018): S1–S42.