Treating high blood glucose levels with cinnamon is a popular remedy for treating diabetes. Cinnamon may have properties that help lower blood glucose levels in some people. However, it should not be used as a substitute for traditional diabetes therapies and you should talk to your doctor before using cinnamon.
What Is Cinnamon?
Cinnamon comes from the bark of different types of plants from the genus Cinnamomum. Cinnamomum verum, also known as Ceylon cinnamon is the most commonly used cinnamon in the Western world, though Cinnamomum aromaticum, or cassia cinnamon, is also common. When cinnamon is purchased as a spice it typically contains a mixture of these different types of cinnamon. In addition to its role as a spice, cinnamon is added to many lotions, mouthwashes, gargles and can also be used as a "counterirritant." Counterirritants generate pain and swelling at a location in order to relieve pain and swelling elsewhere in the body.
Cinnamon and Diabetes
Some people use cinnamon as a way of treating high blood glucose levels for diabetes. You can use cinnamon to help control blood glucose levels if you have Type 2 diabetes, a form of diabetes that typically occurs later in life and is associated with resistance to insulin. Cinnamon is not effective for Type 1 diabetes, a form of the disease marked by little or no insulin production that typically occurs early in life.
Effectiveness
A 2003 article in "Diabetes Care" presented the results of a study that examined the effects of cinnamon on blood glucose levels in patients with Type 2 diabetes. This study found that consuming 1, 3 or 6 g of cinnamon each day helped lower blood glucose levels. However, not all studies have found that cinnamon has an effect on blood glucose levels, which means that more research needs to be done to determine if cinnamon can be used to treat diabetes.
Considerations
Cinnamon is safe for most people to take when consumed in the amounts commonly used for either cooking or medicinal purposes. Long-term use of high doses of cinnamon may cause some health problems, such as liver damage, due to the presence of the chemical coumarin. You should talk to your doctor before taking cinnamon as a treatment for diabetes and you should not take cinnamon supplements as a substitute for other treatments recommended by your doctor.
