Of all of the herbal medicines that have gained attention in
the past twenty years, few have generated the same enduring interest that
cinnamon has. Of course, turmeric has now gathered piles of research large
enough to cow skeptics, but turmeric doesn’t have quite the same appeal – even
those of us who are great fans of curry wouldn’t think of sprinkling a little
turmeric on a meal to enhance the flavor, and it remains largely an herb that
people take as a supplement, but not in their food. Cinnamon, by contrast,
evokes a warm familiarity from many Americans, who associate it with apple
cider, oatmeal, and other delicious foods – is it any wonder, then that we’ve
been excited to learn of its medicinal properties? The research into cinnamon
has found that it can be quite effective in helping to manage type II diabetes,
and in doses that would be added to food. I’m trying to keep this article short
and sweet, so I’m only going to touch on meta-analyses and research reviews
today – these are both types of scholarly articles that compile data from
several smaller studies and draw larger results.
Before going into the meta-analyses surrounding cinnamon,
let me mention dosing. A 2010 study found that cinnamon was effective in lowering both hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and blood pressure over a period of twelve weeks. Non-significant decreases were also observed in fasting blood glucose,
waist circumference, and BMI. Without discussing the effects observed, let me
mention that the dose of cinnamon used was 2 grams per day. According to the
research I have done, this equates to a little bit less than a half teaspoon of
ground cinnamon, or, to put it in other terms, exactly as much cinnamon as
you’d want to add to a bowl of oatmeal to make it taste delicious. This, I
think, is cinnamon’s true appeal – you can add it to your food in palatable
levels and get true medicinal effects. A final note about this study – it found
that cinnamon lowered HbA1C by about 0.40%, a number that may be unfamiliar to
some, but to a diabetic, this is an important decrease.
Of course, supplements are available, but many of these are
simply water extracts of cinnamon. Most supplements made from herbs are made
using solvents to extract active compounds, which are then purified further so
that just a few components are present in the final product. Cinnamon, by
contrast, is largely extracted using water methods, and these extracts are
generally not processed further. Cinnamon is largely effective in its natural
state and doesn’t require a lot of extra work to get great benefit from it.
Several studies have found that cinnamon has significant
effects on fasting blood sugar in type II diabetics. The pool of articles on
the topic is somewhat small, and the meta-analyses and research reviews
reference many of the same works, so it’s not surprising that they share
conclusions. One team of researchers found that, after compiling eight clinical
studies of cinnamon or a cinnamon extract, it was clear that cinnamon had a very strong effect on lowering blood sugar. They even quantified this effect,
saying that, on average, cinnamon lowered blood sugar by 0.49 mmol/L. Many of
us in the US are probably not familiar with this measure of blood glucose, but
it’s equivalent to about 10 mg/dL. This isn’t an earth-shatteringly large
number, but to a person working to lower their blood sugar through diet and
lifestyle changes, this number could make a significant difference.
A research review working from eight studies found that
cinnamon could reduce blood sugars in a type II diabetic by 10-29%. These
numbers are well over the 10 mg/dL difference noted previously. Were they borne
out by other studies, these numbers would have the potential to be extremely
clinically significant. I always tend on the conservative side of things, so am
waiting to see if these numbers can be reproduced. A final review found results similar to these results, but did not find significant changes in HbA1C.
Of course, no body of scientific evidence would be complete
were it not for research contradicting it, and of course we find that another
group of researchers, compiling data from five studies on cinnamon, found no significant benefit from cinnamon on either HbA1C, fasting blood glucose, or lipids (cholesterol). In a clinical setting, of course, we often have to weigh
conflicting evidence, and make a decision based on the patient’s unique needs
and situation.
As always, if you’re interested in managing your diabetes by
using cinnamon, do so in concert with a health care provider. Diabetes is far
too complicated a condition with far too serious outcomes to consider managing
it on your own. A physician needs to monitor your condition and progress, and
can help direct you along the way. Cinnamon has some great potential benefit,
but this may not be the case for all people, and you’ll need to have a provider
who can help direct you through challenges. Finally, remember that diet and
lifestyle are the two most important determinants of a person’s health, and
that any herb or medication is a tool, a thing which can’t of its own accord
make a person healthy. Health comes from dedication, work, positive thought,
and belief in one’s own ability to overcome challenges to emerge stronger and
healthier.
