Effects of cinnamon on postprandial glucose (abstract)

gddrdld

As a RD and CDE, I am always staying UTD on current research in diabetes management. Of particular interest to me, however, is research in the area of "functional foods" and foods with natural glucose lowering properties. Cinnamon is such a food that has been well studied and has shown to be a natural way to help lower post meal glucose response. This is an abstract from the most recent issue of the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (previously known as the Amerian Dietetics Assoc.). I thought some of you might be interested in this research as well.
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J Acad Nutr Diet. 2012 Nov;112(11):1806-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jand.2012.07.037.
Effect of ground cinnamon on postprandial blood glucose concentration in normal-weight and obese adults.
Magistrelli A, Chezem JC.
Abstract
In healthy normal-weight adults, cinnamon reduces blood glucose concentration and enhances insulin sensitivity. Insulin resistance, resulting in increased fasting and postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels, is commonly observed in obese individuals. The objective of the study was to compare declines in postprandial glycemic response in normal-weight and obese subjects with ingestion of 6 g ground cinnamon. In a crossover study, subjects consumed 50 g available carbohydrate in instant farina cereal, served plain or with 6 g ground cinnamon. Blood glucose concentration, the main outcome measure, was assessed at minutes 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120. Repeated-measures analysis of variance evaluated the effects of body mass index (BMI) group, dietary condition, and time on blood glucose. Paired t-test assessed blood glucose at individual time points and glucose area under the curve (AUC) between dietary conditions. Thirty subjects between the ages of 18 and 30 years, 15 with BMIs between 18.5 and 24.9 and 15 with BMIs of 30.0 or more, completed the study. There was no significant difference in blood glucose between the two BMI groups at any time point. However, in a combined analysis of all subjects, the addition of cinnamon to the cereal significantly reduced 120-minute glucose AUC (P=0.008) and blood glucose at 15 (P=0.001), 30 (P<0.001), 45 (P<0.001), and 60 (P=0.001) minutes. At 120 minutes, blood glucose was significantly higher with cinnamon consumption (P<0.001). These results suggest cinnamon may be effective in moderating postprandial glucose response in normal weight and obese adults.

Copyright © 2012 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HisEminence

Thank you!

Amber82479

Very interesting, thank you! Is there a capsule form that can be purchased that you think works well?

wrevhn

I cinnamon!


"AND CINNAMON IS THA WINNA MON"

bdenitto

Thank you!

Enigmatica

I've done my own blood glucose tests on the exact same breakfast with and without 1 tsp of cinnamon. It definitely makes a difference for me. And yes there are cinnamon capsules available if it doesn't fit into your food choices very well. I put it in my breakfast smoothie every day.

mamasmaltz3

Thanks for the info! Love cinnamon.

Acg67

Gymnema sylvestre > Cinnamon as a GDA, Na-R-ALA is also an interesting compound in that regards

mamasmaltz3

Gymnema sylvestre > Cinnamon as a GDA, Na-R-ALA is also an interesting compound in that regards

I don't know what all that means so if I am repeating info, sorry. I have read several studies that have shown antibacterial effect of cinnamon. A report I watched several months ago showed how some food manufacturers were looking into packaging that had somehow taken the compound in cinnamon, and a couple other spices that are gone from my brain at the moment, and lining the packaging with it. The hopes being that it would kill bacteria the food may come in contact with, like salmonella.

joannathechef

I don't like it at all - ugh

I do take Chromium which is another supplement indicated to imporve insulin response & Potassium/Magnesium are also thought to help in metabolising glucose

I saw Cost Co had a diabetes cocktail that had all of these and cinnamon.... if they do I bet other places like GNC and the internet do too

qnih

The abstract says: "At 120 minutes, blood glucose was significantly higher with cinnamon consumption (P<0.001)." Not too good for diabetics, then. I wonder what happened to blood glucose after 120 minutes.

See http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15877514.php (search for Cinnamon) for some details of other studies that have found less than favourable results for cinnamon. And see http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/another-poll-which-supplements-have-you.html

VorJoshigan

The abstract says: "At 120 minutes, blood glucose was significantly higher with cinnamon consumption (P<0.001)." Not too good for diabetics, then. I wonder what happened to blood glucose after 120 minutes.

See http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/15877514.php (search for Cinnamon) for some details of other studies that have found less than favourable results for cinnamon. And see http://diabetesupdate.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/another-poll-which-supplements-have-you.html

That line concerned me as well, but isn't 120 minutes approximately the time when blood sugar usually "crashes"? If so, then a higher blood sugar isn't necessarily a bad thing if it's not way higher than fasting blood sugar.

I wish they had actually listed the blood sugar numbers, but that's a lot to expect from an abstract.

kimberliiw

I wish they would have shown the numbers also and gone beyond a 2 hour GTT. I don't know what is meant by the 120 minute result being significantly higher. Higher than the 90 minute? Higher than not taking cinnamon? It's interesting though.