Cinnamon: Helpful?

[Viking Dan]

I've noticed this mentioned a couple places on the 'net, such as:
http://clk.about.com/?zi=1/XJ&sdn=thyroid&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thyroid-info.com%2Farticles%2Fcinnamon.htm

So...supposedly it lowers blood sugar levels and increases insulin production. Would that be good for a lowcarb program, or would it be counterproductive as you're eating more fat and you have all that insulin to drive it into your fat cells.

My thinking would be its bad because if insulin is higher, glucagon is lower so you'd have more difficulty burning fat, right?

I am confused.

[LisaS]

I'm not sure that the mechanism is to increase insulin production. From what I've read that addresses the mechanism thought to be involved, I seem to remember that it was effecting the insulin-receptors on the muscle cells - that is, decreasing insulin resistance. But I'd have to go find the page(s) again.

[gitfiddle]

I read the study at the time and I also thought the effect was to make cells more insulin-sensitive. I also distinctly remember that they said there was no need to take in any more than a half-teaspoon of cinnamon per day because the results for larger doses were not any different. Of course, that was months ago and we find out new things every day.

That was a wonderfully upbeat article, wasn't it? I was just enjoying splenda-sweetened Starbucks with real cream and a few dashes of cinnamon. Yum! Crazy how I'm conditioned to expect things that taste good to be bad for me. I always shake ground cinnamon on my yogurt & berries, too. I can't say that I've noticed any difference in my body or my blood sugar, though. Everything I eat is targeted at lowering my blood sugar as much as possible, so who knows?

DH has a t-shirt with that Groucho quote. I love it.

[Gabriel Guzman]

I read this article when it first came out (2003) and it said nothing about increasing insulin production. The results were these:


CONCLUSIONS— The results of this study demonstrate that intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces serum glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.


They did, however, speculate on the possible mechanims by which cinnamon may have help decrease serum glucose, and as LisaS pointed out, they thought it had more to do with improving how the insulin receptors work, instead of increasing insulin production.

In fact, when one reads their discussion of the possible mechanisms by which cinnamon may increase insulin sensitivity, it's easy to see a plausible line of studies that could address the particular question.

So, there is a big difference between what the authors worte in 2003 and what Ms. Shomon understood. That is if she actually read the original paper instead of getting the news capsule from another source that interpreted the author's work.

[Viking Dan]

So cinnamon hasn't been shown to have any effect on non-diabetics?

[LisaS]

they might not have studied effects in non-diabetics
I would think with an insulin-resistant non-diabetic an improved insulin response / lower BS might be seen as well as the positive changes in lipid profiles.

[yahoudi]

I have noticed that taking cinnamon can lower my blood sugar levels...sometimes as much as 20%. Since I don't eat a lot of foods where cinnamon is appropriate as a spice, I either make my own cinnamon capsules, or take a commercially-made cinnamon supplement that I found at a local health-food store. The supplement suggests taking it right after the two largest meals of the day.

(I should take it more regularly, since I do know it helps.)

[Viking Dan]

Hm. I wonder if they tested cinnamon with Creatine.

(Googles)