Originally published August 12 2013
Cinnamon regulates your blood sugar: Research-proven
by PF Louis
(NaturalNews) It's ironic that a spice associated with excessively dripping sugar frosting, such as on cinnamon rolls, is actually a deterrent to excess blood sugar and insulin resistance, both of which result in potentially disastrous health consequences.
Then again, maybe that was inadvertently meant to be with those gooey cinnamon rolls. Some Ayurvedic practitioners recommend mixing cinnamon powder with smaller amounts of cardamom and nutmeg powders to attenuate coffee's negative attributes.
What's impressive about cinnamon is the recent track record of research that scientifically proves its insulin mimicking attributes and glycemic control.
A few research samplings from those studies
In 2012, the UK's University of West London conducted a meta-analysis of six carefully searched clinical trials testing effects of cinnamon intake on diabetes-2 glucose levels, which is the form of diabetes that implies insulin resistance rather than insufficient pancreatic insulin production.
The six trials comprised a total of 435 diabetic patients whose blood sugar testing was done from 40 days to four months after consuming cinnamon supplements daily. The dosage amounts varied, from one gram to six grams of cinnamon daily.
The meta-trial search sought trials with proper blood glucose testing that was performed 40 days to four months from baseline.
Their chosen trials employed both fasting plasma glucose (FPG) testing and HbA1c testing, which determines how much glucose is stuck to blood cells to represent a three month blood sugar average.
They observed that the mean glucose levels were reduced significantly, which prompted this research team to conclude that the use of cinnamon for glycemic control is promising. [1] [1a]
An earlier meta-analysis that isolated five diabetes-2 randomized control human trials and three non-diabetic cinnamon glucose effect trials was conducted in 2009 at the UK's Thames Valley University.
Three of their studied trials had insignificant results, forcing this team to conclude:
"Whilst definitive conclusions cannot be drawn regarding the use of cinnamon as an antidiabetic therapy, it does possess antihyperglycaemic properties ... . Further research is required to ... to assess the potential to reduce pathogenic diabetic complications with cinnamon supplementation." [2]
Looks like that may have been a set-up for the West London crew's research, which was less ambiguous about its findings using trials conducted after 2009.
Also in 2009 but here in Waco, Texas, USA, a Baylor University research team looked into evidence that acute sleep loss often results in insulin resistance and glucose intolerance similar to diabetes-2 patients.
They determined that cinnamon supplementation "facilitates glucose disposal in healthy humans." Cinnamon supplementing mechanically creates increased insulin sensitivity from signaling proteins and/or an insulin sensitive glucose transporter into muscle cells.
The Baylor conclusion: "Because peripheral insulin resistance is primarily a consequence of reduced muscle insulin sensitivity, C. cassia and C. cassia [cinnamon] extracts may attenuate insulin resistance and glucose intolerance observed following sleep loss." [3]
Wait, there's more
Canadian MD Jarret Morrow wrote an interesting article covering some other trials on diabetics using two or three grams of cinnamon daily for 12 weeks, which recorded not only decreased blood sugar but decreased diastolic and systolic blood pressure readings as well. [4]
Well, two or three grams of lightweight cinnamon powder may be more than an occasional sprinkle on your cereal or half-teaspoonful in your coffee.
But if you have any metabolic syndrome symptoms (high blood sugar, blood pressure, overweight) or you have any other pre-diabetic concerns, it may be time to increase your cinnamon intake while decreasing sugar and processed carb consumption.
If you are diabetic, adding that regimen may help you get off medications eventually. Bulk organic cinnamon is not expensive. And clinical human trials have proven its insulin mimicking merits. Besides, you shouldn't be eating all that gooey sugary stuff anyway.
Sources for this article include:
[1] http://www.vitasearch.com
[1a] http://www.researchgate.net
[2] http://science.naturalnews.com
[3] http://science.naturalnews.com
[4] http://www.jarretmorrow.com
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