Type 2 diabetics may get a health boost from a dash of cinnamon

Houston Chronicle ^ | 1/25/2004

[Born Conservative]

Type 2 diabetics may get a health boost from a dash of cinnamon Los Angeles Times A little bit of cinnamon might spice up your health.

The aromatic bark can lower blood sugar, triglycerides and cholesterol levels, as well as improve insulin functioning, particularly in Type 2 diabetics, researchers have found. Richard Anderson, lead scientist at the Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Md., calls its medicinal properties the most significant nutritional discovery in 25 years.

"I don't know of anything else," he said, other than drugs, "that can change glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol levels nearly so much." The most recent study, which appears in the December issue of the journal Diabetes Care, showed that, after 40 days, 30 diabetics who had taken 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon extract daily reduced their risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Specifically, their mean fasting glucose...

[MHGinTN]

As you are aware, aspirin is a gastrointestinal irritant. Cinnamon, like aspirin, irritates the lining of the gastrointestinal tract ... from your mouth to your anus, but the effect is mediated by how long the cinnamon remians in contact with the tissues and the secretory activity of the tissues.

[3catsanadog]

I love cinnamon on warm applesauce.

[Lael]

"I don't know of anything else," he said, other than drugs, "that can change glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol levels nearly so much."

Just another example of the French Exception...

They guzzle Wine...and instead of killing them, it promotes Heart health.

They mix Cinnamon with sugar on their Crapes Suzettes, and lo, and behold, they control Cholesterol, Triglicerides, and excess Glucose!

Wonder what else these people with longer life spans than ours can teach us??????

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I just can't stand the taste of cinnamon. Now, if someone put it up in capsule form...

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Oh well...I guess I strike out on both counts. I don't take excessive aspirin, but I do when I have aches and pains.

It works well for me, where acetaminophen and others do zilch.

I've never had any noticeable stomach problems since I had my gall bladder out 27 years ago at the age of 27 :-).

I suppose I'll just keep on keepin' on since it seems to be working.

[Born Conservative]

I'm sure there will be some entrepeneur that will do this; in the meantime, I think you can buy empty gelatin capsules; you can then just put the cinnamon in these and swallow them as you would any pill.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Now, if someone put it up in capsule form...

I think they may do just that if I'm not mistaken. I thought I saw it online. I'll see if I can find it again.

[Island Girl]

That's exactly what I do. You can buy empty caps at the health food store and a gizmo to help you fill them.

[MHGinTN]

People take aspirin for pain in the form that works quickly. If regular pain mediation is done with aspirin, the 'coated' versions are useful because they dissolve more slowly and when in the intestine where natural buffering reduces irritant potential. Some of the new 'cox-2' inhibitors do a great job in inflammation reduction without the same irritation potential of aspirin. But nothing I've found works as quickly or predictably as aspirin! ... [The above is from Dr. Quack, a non-doctor to be sure!]

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Grabbed this right off the bat. Do a Google search and I bet you'll find this available in many places.

[suzyq5558]

I put 1/2 teaspn in my coffee just now. this is a treatment i can handle')

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

"I use the ground variety..."

In the study the report says they used 1 to 6 grams of cinnamon extract. I wonder how much ground cinnamon is required to equal 1 gram of cinnamon extract, and I wonder what the concentration of the extract was in the study.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

LOL.........good, huh?

[GGpaX4DumpedTea]

"...Cinnamon is a gastrointestinal irritant..."

So is aspirin. So we still take it when needed. And normal low dosage usually does not have ill effect. And be advised that a little fresh gingeroot sooths the stomach; so does peppermint.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I wonder how much ground cinnamon is required to equal 1 gram of cinnamon extract, and I wonder what the concentration of the extract was in the study.

I don't know exactly, but some sites I've read have stated a 1/4 to a 1/2 tsp. of ground/powdered. I used that as a guide.

[suzyq5558]

you know what? it is good. I'm pleasantly surprised. now get this.... i just got off the phone with my mom and heres what she told me. my dad has type2 diabetes and his dr. has had him on the Cinnamon regime for six months and he is doing great! mom has high cholesterol and she has been taking the cinnamon also and said that her bad cholesterol levels have gone down this last time. wow this is really wonderful.

[Born Conservative]

Very interesting. The product warnings are that it "is not recommended if you are pregnant, or if you have a tendency toward excessive menstrual bleeding" and also that it is a gastrointestinal irritant. I wonder if cinnamon has chemical properties similar to aspirin? (aspirin affects bleeding, shouldn't be used when pregnant, and is a GI irritant).

[southland]

bump

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

Very impressive 1st hand account of proven results. WOW !!!

I am so glad that people are learning of this. It seems it may do a lot of good for a lot of people.

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

I wonder if cinnamon has chemical properties similar to aspirin?

Could be. I'm guessing that the small anount of recommended cinnamon is considered safe or the medical community would probably warn against it.....maybe. LOL !!!!