Cinnamon has been used since Biblical times and its popularity continues in 2011 as a spice, taste enhancer, aromatic and medicinal herb. It is used to treat a broad range of disorders, including diabetes. However, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of cinnamon for managing diabetes. If you have diabetes, first consult with your health care provider before using cinnamon medicinally.
Treatment
Type 2 diabetes, or adult-onset diabetes, can often be managed by adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as eating right and carefully watching your diet, regular exercise and losing excess weight. Holistic approaches, such as acupuncture, may also be used to help lower blood sugar and manage some complications of diabetes. You can also take supplements, such as cinnamon, to possibly help lower your blood sugar levels. Medications may be prescribed by your doctor when other treatments fail.
How It Works
Cinnamon contains terpenoids in its volatile oil, which are the primary constituents of the volatile oils of many types of plants that give them their distinctive scent. Terpenoids in cinnamon are also thought to produce its health benefits, including antifungal, antibacterial, anti-allergic and insulin-stimulating functions. There are different types of cinnamon, but so far only the cassia cinnamon type has been shown to affect blood sugar levels in human trials.
Preparations and Dosing
Research studies in type 2 diabetics have used cinnamon in doses of 1 to 6g per day. You can prepare cinnamon tea by boiling 2 to 3g of cinnamon powder for 10 to 15 minutes, then cooling. Cinnamon oil should be used in doses of only a few drops daily and only for a few days at a time. You can also use cinnamon tincture in doses of 2 to 3ml, taken three times daily.
Effects
If you have type 2 diabetes, cinnamon may help control your blood sugar levels. Several preliminary studies in type 2 diabetics have shown that cinnamon lowered blood glucose levels, as well as triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels. One of these studies showed that cinnamon lowered blood glucose levels by an average of 18 to 29 percent. However, other early studies of cinnamon in type 2 diabetes show no benefit in controlling blood sugar levels.
