Cinnamon for Diabetes

Cinnamon may turn out to be the next big treatment for diabetes, researchers have found that the spice can help increase insulin sensitivity. The active ingredient in cinnamon hydroxychalcone affects insulin receptors to help promote glucose uptake into cells and promote glycogen synthesis. In a December 2003 Diabetes Care study, cinnamon was found to improve glucose and lipids in people with diabetes. Sixty patients with type 2 who were taking a sulfonylurea (glyburide) were given doses of cinnamon or a placebo for 40 days. Fasting blood glucose declined by 18 to 29 percent after 40 days and 20 days after stopping use fasting glucose was still lower than at baseline. Several studies have reinforced these results; also in December 2003 a rat study found that cinnamon extract would improve insulin action via increasing glucose uptake in vivo through enhancing the insulin-signaling pathway in skeletal muscle (1). In 2004, researchers at a USDA center in Maryland reported that polyphenols in cinnamon potentiate insulin action making them beneficial in the control of glucose intolerance and diabetes (2). Researchers have also found that cinnamon extracts can prevent the development of insulin resistance at least in part by enhancing insulin signaling and possibly via the NO pathway in skeletal muscle (3). German researchers found earlier this year that cassia extract (a species of cinnamon) has a direct antidiabetic potency as evidenced by an insulin release from INS-1 cells (4).

Cinnamon may turn out to be the next big treatment for diabetes, researchers have found that the spice can help increase insulin sensitivity. The active ingredient in cinnamon hydroxychalcone affects insulin receptors to help promote glucose uptake into cells and promote glycogen synthesis. In a December 2003 Diabetes Care study, cinnamon was found to improve glucose and lipids in people with diabetes. Sixty patients with type 2 who were taking a sulfonylurea (glyburide) were given doses of cinnamon or a placebo for 40 days. Fasting blood glucose declined by 18 to 29 percent after 40 days and 20 days after stopping use fasting glucose was still lower than at baseline. Several studies have reinforced these results; also in December 2003 a rat study found that cinnamon extract would improve insulin action via increasing glucose uptake in vivo through enhancing the insulin-signaling pathway in skeletal muscle (1). In 2004, researchers at a USDA center in Maryland reported that polyphenols in cinnamon potentiate insulin action making them beneficial in the control of glucose intolerance and diabetes (2). Researchers have also found that cinnamon extracts can prevent the development of insulin resistance at least in part by enhancing insulin signaling and possibly via the NO pathway in skeletal muscle (3). German researchers found earlier this year that cassia extract (a species of cinnamon) has a direct antidiabetic potency as evidenced by an insulin release from INS-1 cells (4).

Cinnamon is a spice often used in food, beverages, chewing gums, toothpastes, mouthwash, liniments, nasal sprays and suntan lotions. Although cinnamon bark and flowers have been used medicinally in Asia for thousands of years. Cinnamon has been used for type 2 diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, diarrhea, infections, the common cold, menopausal symptoms, rheumatic conditions, hypertension, angina and kidney disorders. Although there are no serious side effects when using cinnamon anyone with hypoglycemia should be careful consuming it due to its apparent action on blood glucose levels. For more information on cinnamon, please visit Natural Standard's Herbs & Supplements database.

References:

1. Qin B, Nagasaki M, Ren M, Bajotto G, Oshida Y, Sato Y. Cinnamon extract (traditional herb) potentiates in vivo insulin-regulated glucose utilization via enhancing insulin signaling in rats. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2003 Dec;62(3):139-48. View Abstract.
2. Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, Schmidt WF, Khan A, Flanagan VP, Schoene NW, Graves DJ. Isolation and characterization of polyphenol type-A polymers from cinnamon with insulin-like biological activity. J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jan 14;52(1):65-70. View Abstract.
3. Qin B, Nagasaki M, Ren M, Bajotto G, Oshida Y, Sato Y. Cinnamon extract prevents the insulin resistance induced by a high-fructose diet. Horm Metab Res. 2004 Feb;36(2):119-25. View Abstract.
4. Verspohl EJ, Bauer K, Neddermann E. Antidiabetic effect of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum in vivo and in vitro. Phytother Res. 2005 Mar;19(3):203-6. View Abstract.

Cinnamon is one of the seven ingredients contained in DEPSYL

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