Diabetes: Cinnamon, Glucose Tolerance

Diabetes: Cinnamon, Glucose Tolerance

Diabetes: Extracts of cinnamon increase insulin activity several-fold and reduce blood glucose levels, according to studies by the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center. These measurements were based on in-vitro or test-tube measurements of the ability of insulin to increase the breakdown of glucose. Insulin is the hormone that controls the utilization of the blood sugar, glucose. Improved insulin function leads to improved blood sugar concentrations.

The human study involved people with type 2 diabetes and demonstrated average (mean) improvements in the following blood factors:

* blood glucose, ranging from 18 to 29%;
* triglycerides, 23 to 30%;
* LDL-cholesterol, 7 to 27%; and
* total cholesterol, 12 to 26%.

Source: Diabetes Care, vol. 26, pages 3215-3218, 2003.

The active components of cinnamon are found in the water-soluble portion of cinnamon and are not present in cinnamon oil, which is largely fat-soluble.

In addition to ground cinnamon consumed directly, one can also make a cinnamon tea and let the solids settle to the bottom or use cinnamon sticks, which make for a nice clear tea. Cinnamon can also be added to orange juice, oatmeal, coffee before brewing, salads, meats etc. The active components are not destroyed by heat.

According to the Department of Agriculture, recent human studies indicate that consuming roughly one half of a teaspoon of cinnamon per day or less leads to dramatic improvements in blood sugar, cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides. Intake of cinnamon, at these levels, is stated to be very safe and there should not be any side effects. There are also companies selling water soluble components from cinnamon that contain the active ingredients with minimal amounts of the components that could be toxic at elevated levels.

Read more about this in the April 2004 issue of the Agricultural Research Magazine, see www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/apr04/cinnam0404.htm

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Diabetes: Cinnamon, Insulin, Blood Sugar

Diabetes cinnamon

Diabetes: Cinnamon may be more than a spice -- it may have a medical application in preventing and combating diabetes.

Cinnamon may help by playing the role of an insulin substitute in type II diabetes, according to cellular and molecular studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, Iowa State University and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"Cinnamon itself has insulin-like activity and also can potentiate the activity of insulin," said Don Graves of UCSB. "The latter could be quite important in treating those with type II diabetes. Cinnamon has a bio-active component that we believe has the potential to prevent or overcome diabetes."

The researchers have been studying the effects of cinnamon on obese mice, which have been fed water laced with cinnamon at Sansum's lab [Sansum Diabetes Research Institute].

Using nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopy, the researchers obtained results which allowed them to describe the chemical structure of a molecule with "insulin-like" activity in cinnamon. Graves and others reported earlier that this [cinnamon] compound, a proanthocyanidin, can affect insulin signaling in fat cells.

Richard Anderson of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a former Graves student and the discoverer of the insulin-like activity, recently completed a human study with associates in Pakistan using cinnamon. Promising results were obtained by 30 test subjects with type II diabetes after only 40 days of taking cinnamon. They had a significant decrease in blood glucose [blood sugar], triglycerides, LDL, and cholesterol.

The researchers hope that a human trial may begin in the US, possibly in Santa Barbara, using cinnamon and its water-soluble extract to treat type II diabetes. Source: " Cinnamon May Help to Alleviate Diabetes Says UCSB Researcher," see: http://www.ia.ucsb.edu/pa/display.aspx?pkey=1123

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