Here's an excerpt from the UK's National Health Service
ukmicentral.nhs.ukstory.aspOpen ↗ 808
Cinnamon for diabetes?
A placebo-controlled trial has shown that in the short term, at least, consuming at least a gram of
cinnamon daily can reduce fasting blood glucose and lipids in people with type 2 diabetes. The trial
involved 60 adults with type 2 diabetes who were randomised to take capsules containing 1, 3, or 6
grams daily of cinnamon or corresponding numbers of placebo capsules; treatment duration was 40
days, with a 20-day washout period afterwards. At the end of the 40 days, all groups consuming
cinnamon had reductions in mean fasting serum glucose (by 18-29%), triglycerides (23-30%), LDL-
cholesterol (7-27%), and total cholesterol (12-26%). There were no significant changes in any of
these in the placebo groups. The effects persisted for some time after treatment ceased. The authors
conclude that ingestion of cinnamon has beneficial effects on serum glucose and lipid levels in
people with type 2 diabetes and "suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with
type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases."
[Editor's comment: interesting, but not a very large trial and limited duration. It would also be
valuable to find out whether smaller doses have similar effects. This study needs to be followed up
with larger, longer trials to confirm efficacy and safety.]
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You know...we all tried cinnamon a couple of years ago with mixed results. But I don't believe that
any of us kept at it for 40 days.
One of those TV doctors on some Sunday morning network show was touting the study and said that a
quarter teaspoon a day for forty days lowered fasting glucose levels up to 30%. This sounds
consistent with the above excerpt, and I can more easily measure cinnamon with a quarter teaspoon.
When the story first broke a few years ago, I contacted the head researcher, a Dr. Anderson, by
email, and asked him about the then controversy that store cinnamon was not the "true" cinnamon. He
wrote back saying that was bunk and that researchers were using "over the counter" cinnamon like we
all buy. So I hope we won't see any more arguments about what kind of cinnamon to buy.
Unfortunately, I failed to ask him if I could use the cheap stuff I get from Costco.