“We are looking for safe, long-lasting, and cost-effective approaches to reduce the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes,” said study author Dr. Giulio Romeo, a physician with the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston and the division of endocrinology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The study published Tuesday in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
“Our 12-week study showed beneficial effects of adding cinnamon to the diet to keep blood sugar levels stable in prediabetes participants,” said Romeo. “These findings provide the rationale for longer and larger studies to address whether cinnamon can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time.”
Harvested from the inner bark of a tropical evergreen plant, cinnamon has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat respiratory and digestive problems for centuries. The ancient Egyptians used cinnamon as a perfume during the embalming process, while the Romans used it in funeral pyres to mask the stench of burnt meat.
There are two basic types of cinnamon: Ceylon, which is grown in Sri Lanka, and cassia, which is widely produced in China and Indonesia. Cassia has the stronger taste and smell of the two and, due to its much lower cost, is what most of us buy at the store to spray our food.
Romeo believes part of the problem is that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes probably take various medications that can interfere with the study results.
So he and a group of researchers in South Korea decided to specifically target people with prediabetes who were not yet taking medications. South Korea was included, Romeo said, because diabetes rates in East and South Asia have increased at a particularly rapid rate in the past three decades.
The small randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial provided study participants in Boston and South Korea with a 500-milligram capsule of cinnamon cassia or a placebo three times a day for 12 weeks. The study used a very sensitive fasting plasma glucose test to measure response.
“The difference between the groups of the patients was significant, “Romeo said.” The blood glucose levels of those with cinnamon would not rise as much as the placebo participants after meals and would also return to the baseline much faster. “
Prediabetes is serious.
Prediabetes occurs when cells in your body do not normally respond to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas. Insulin serves as a key, unlocking the cell doors to allow glucose into the bloodstream to enter and be used for energy, and then stores any remaining glucose in the liver.
When the cells don’t open, beta cells in the pancreas make more and more insulin in an attempt to force the cells to respond. Over time, those beta cells wear out and glucose levels in the bloodstream build up, creating prediabetes and, if not controlled, type 2 diabetes.
You have prediabetes if your glucose level after an overnight fast is 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg / dL) of blood, according to the American Diabetes Association. A reading of 126 mg / dL and more means you have type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes can exist for years without clear symptoms. In fact, the CDC says that more than 84% of people who have the condition have no idea that they are in danger.
But they are. Diabetes can affect all the major organs of the body, leading to kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke, and damage to the body’s large and small blood vessels. This can lead to impotence in men and sexual dysfunction in women, as well as nerve damage in the legs, feet, and toes, which can lead to amputation.
Lifestyle measures are key to preventing prediabetes from turning into type 2 diabetes. Even a small amount of weight loss, such as 5% to 7% of your body weight, can make a difference, say the experts. For a 200-pound person, that’s 10 to 14 pounds.
Regular physical activity is another necessity: 30 minutes a day, five days a week of brisk walking or a similar activity can also make a difference.
Try cinnamon at home
While science continues to test cinnamon’s true effectiveness, experts say sprinkling cinnamon on food won’t harm it and can be a good substitute for sugar, salt, and other flavoring agents that aren’t good for diabetes.
However, be careful not to use too much in food or in capsules. Cinnamon cassia, the most common form, may contain relatively high concentrations of coumarin, a plant compound that can harm the liver.
A study of 91 cinnamon samples from various stores in Germany found 63 times more coumarin in cassia cinnamon powder than in Ceylon powder, the most expensive version grown in Sri Lanka. Cassia sticks, which look like a thick layer of rolled bark, also contained 18 times more coumarin than Ceylon sticks, which have thin layers.
“I think the bottom line is that cinnamon is a perfect pantry staple, a pleasant spice that can add flavor to foods for minimal calories, with antioxidant properties that can give an advantage to those looking to better control their sugar. in the blood, “Drayer said.
“But we need to see more research before we can make solid health claims that link cinnamon to reduce the risk of disease or improve health.”
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