Can Cinnamon Help Manage Blood Sugar?

Posted on Oct 4th 2010 11:00AM by Jonny Bowden

Filed Under: Jonny's Take, Diet & Weight Loss

Getty

A new study by Richard Anderson at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that cinnamon may help reduce risk factors that are associated with both heart disease and diabetes.

For this study, 22 obese subjects were recruited, all of whom had what's called "impaired blood glucose values," which means their blood sugar wasn't well controlled and they were at a higher risk for diabetes.

When blood sugar levels are too high, the body produces an abundance of insulin, also known as the "fat-storage hormone" or "the hunger hormone." The cells become resistant to this excess insulin, basically ignoring it while it "knocks" on the cell doors so it can get in to dump that extra sugar. You wind up with high blood sugar and high insulin, a condition known as insulin resistance.

While it's possible to have this kind of condition and not be overweight, it's pretty rare. According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, most people with insulin resistance develop full-blown Type 2 diabetes within 10 years unless they lose 5 to 7 percent of their body weight. People with this condition are also much more at risk for developing cardiovascular disease.

In the present study, the volunteers were randomly divided into two groups. One group got a placebo while the other got 250 mg of water-soluble cinnamon extract, which they took twice a day in addition to their usual diet. The researchers collected blood after an overnight fast right at the beginning of the study, then again after six weeks and another time after 12 weeks.

They were looking for changes in either blood glucose (sugar), antioxidant levels or both.

The results? Those who took the cinnamon extract improved their antioxidant levels by between 13 and 23 percent.

That part's not surprising, as cinnamon contains a number of antioxidants. The surprising finding of the study was that this improvement in antioxidant status was accompanied by improvements in fasting blood sugar.

Earlier studies -- also by Anderson and his team -- showed that cinnamon was effective in reducing not only blood sugar but also triglycerides and total cholesterol in people with Type 2 diabetes. While weight loss is the most effective means to reduce your risk for diabetes, this small study suggests that adding cinnamon to your favorite healthy dishes could be much more than just a flavor boost.

Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach, cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life. Visit his website to learn more.

39 Comment

Tags: blood glucose, blood sugar, cinnamon, Diabetes, insulin, insulin resistance, jonny-bowden, prediabetes, Type ll Diabetes

Around the Web

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Nancy 10-05-2010 @ 10:15AM

Interesting news, but, whenever you are talking cinnamon, it is important to note that most of what we buy in the store spice aisle is NOT cinnamon, but cassia. There is a difference.

Jennifer M 10-05-2010 @ 1:25PM

Cassia is actually one species of cinnamon and is the most common form of cinnamon in USA and Canada. What I'd like to know is when I buy cinnamon capsules, it rarely states the species. My assumption it is mostly Cassia.
A quote from Wikipedia "In 2006, a study reported no statistically significant additional benefit when cinnamon cassia powder was given to type 2 diabetes patients who were already being treated with metformin.[8] A systematic review of research indicates that cinnamon may reduce fasting blood sugar, but does not have an effect on hemoglobin A1C, a biological marker of long-term diabetes."

Morgan 10-05-2010 @ 2:09PM

This is good to know Http://www.diabetesinfoguide.info I want to try this but want to make sure I get real cinnamon.

Okakopa 10-05-2010 @ 3:04PM

Theyare not talking about the can that we can buy in the spice aisle but the food supplement that you can buy at a health food store. It is in pill form...

Keith Reester 10-05-2010 @ 6:52AM

I started using cinnamon after reading about it on the internet. It has dropped my blood sugar numbers dramatically. It has worked effectively with a few of my friends and had no impact with a few others. It is definitely worth a try.

PacificPiers 10-05-2010 @ 10:03PM

Hey Keith...can you tell me where you get your supply of cinammon and in what form? Also, how much do you take daily? Thanks, Larry

Jane 10-05-2010 @ 7:06AM

This is interesting, but this is old news. Cinnamon has been used for diabetes for quite awhile now.
There are cinnamon supplements in the health food stores for this purpose for several years now. When I worked in one years ago, nutritional doctors prescribed it to their patients.
It amazes me how doctors overseas have known the benefits of so many natural remedies for centuries and we write about it now like it was just realized.

Dorothy 10-05-2010 @ 11:09AM

Jane, by any chance have you heard whether this would help pets? I've used all those things Mike suggested for more than 60 years and I also like to put cinnamon over my coffee grounds when it is brewing. Not only does it taste like that special cup at a coffee house, but the aroma is wonderful.

Dorothy 10-05-2010 @ 11:48AM

I did some research on here and did find that the cinnamon also helps pets, as well.

Guillermina 10-05-2010 @ 8:42AM

wow so does that mean i can eat apple pie with extra cinnamon or a cinnamon bun or donut with my diabetes? Cool

Zhenya 10-05-2010 @ 12:14PM

That is really cool Guillermina. It goes right along with that daily glass or two of cabernet, merlot or other red wine to lower your cholesterol!

B 10-05-2010 @ 4:08PM

I am thinking cinnamon rolls...;)

Robert Williams 10-05-2010 @ 9:00AM

Mike: How about cinnamon on your oatmeal, along with a sugar substitute? How about baked acorn squash with cinnamon? How about cinnamon on your baked or mashed sweet potato?

MIKE 10-06-2010 @ 12:50AM

Been using cinammon for years on oatmeal, microwaved sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes with cinammon and nutmeg, acorn squash, candied carrots, pancakes, waffles and on my COQUITO (SPANISH EGGNOG) AT CHRISTMAS TIME,stick cinammon. For that matter ALL spices are great for us, turmeric being a powerhouse, nutmeg, even black pepper, use one tsp per day not at one time but spread out in food, it shocks the metabolism. I have a list of the benefits of each spice.

BOB 10-05-2010 @ 10:15AM

It comes in pills look in with the suplamints at pharmacy my dad takes them will see if they help

Harry Hurt 10-05-2010 @ 10:49AM

I like cinnamin on French toast, using sugar-free syrup. Delicious on pancakes, too. Robert Williams has some excellent suggestions, also.

Patrick 10-05-2010 @ 10:55AM

Cinnamon has been known to have benefits for quite a ong time but IS regularly ignorred along with OTHER "natural" "elements..Add C to your coffee (and would suggest MILK rather than "creamers" as well which many figure convenient but check the ingredients...yee-uck)Cinnamon on CAULIFLOWER..yeah, CALIFLOWER (long done in Europe/elsewhere)..On your toast, morning cereal..lots of foods that handle it well ,just give it some though and experiment..It IS for YOUR health sake and easy (and YES, do get REAL cinnamon..it IS easlily AVAILABLE and NOT that expensive folks.For its benefiuts, far more LESS expensive than prescriptions/manufactured 'drugs" and does assist /help curtail "ailments" !! Natural produts have provided the "incentive" for Pharmy's to replicate natures own,providing them with handsome profiteerings !!! There ARE intances where a manufactured drug IS the answer/helpful but natural nature "products" abound as well...DO DUE DILGENCE and HOMEWORK/research and be discerning in what accepted for lots of MIS INFORMATION regarding 'nature's own" abounds as well.

ulttdbehr 10-05-2010 @ 11:35AM

OK PEOPLE YOU HAVE MISSED THE MARK AGAIN. IT IS PURE CINNAMON NOT CINNAMON SUGAR WHICH COMES IN A GLASS BOTTLE AND IS MIXED ALREADY, THAT IS USED IN BAKING IE; CINNAMON ROLLS, AND FRENCH TOAST, AND APPLE PIE.