| Cinnamon spice may decrease sugar and cholesterol blood levels
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2005-07-05 Richard Harkness - KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
How much and what type of omega-3 fatty acid is correct
QUESTION:
I've heard that cinnamon lowers cholesterol. If this is true, could
you provide some details?
ANSWER:
There is promising evidence that cinnamon spice can push down blood
levels of cholesterol and sugar (glucose).
This evidence
comes from a six-week placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 60
participants (30 men and 30 women) with type 2 diabetes. The 2003
study appeared in Diabetes Care.
Small amounts of
cassia cinnamon added to the diet lowered total cholesterol 12
percent to 26 percent, LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) 7 percent to 27
percent, triglycerides 23 percent to 30 percent and fasting blood
sugar 18 percent to 29 percent.
The compounds
present in cassia cinnamon seem to improve the body's response to its
own insulin, resulting in lower blood levels of sugar and lipids
(cholesterol and triglycerides).
Study
participants took either 1 gram, 3 grams or 6 grams of cassia
cinnamon daily (1 teaspoon equals 4.75 grams).
A couple of
intriguing points caught my attention: Each amount (1 gram, 3 grams
and 6 grams) showed a similar benefit, and the benefit seemed to be
long-lasting.
This suggests that cinnamon in amounts
less than one-fourth of a teaspoon taken regularly (daily or even
less frequently) could get results.
Though this
study involved only individuals with diabetes, researchers speculated
that cinnamon also might help prevent or control elevated glucose and
lipid levels in the general population.
More research is
needed to make firm recommendations, but cinnamon certainly seems
worth a trial run based on these striking numbers.
I'd appreciate
hearing how cinnamon supplementation works from readers who decide to
try it. You might add it to your cereal or beverage.
Ideally, you'd
have your blood lipid and sugar levels measured before starting
cinnamon and then again after taking it for several weeks.
These
before-and-after numbers would show how well cinnamon worked.
The cinnamon
spice available in grocery stores typically contains a combination of
different cinnamons, including the cassia type (Chinese cinnamon) and
the verum type (Ceylon cinnamon).
Currently, only
cassia cinnamon has been shown to affect blood sugar in humans.
However, the verum form also contains what is thought to be the key
ingredient.
If you take
sugar-lowering medications for diabetes, be aware that adding
cinnamon might cause your blood sugar to drop too low (hypoglycemia).
Individuals taking such medications know to watch for the cardinal
warning signs: tremor, fast pulse or heartbeat, sweating, weakness,
sudden hunger, confusion, numbness or tingling sensations.
To avoid this
problem, doses of your current medication might need to be reduced
when cinnamon is started. But don't adjust the dose on your own –
check with your doctor. And closely self-monitor blood sugar levels.
Those on
lipid-lowering medications should have smooth sailing.
Generally, the
lower your cholesterol and triglycerides, the better.
Richard Harkness is a consultant
pharmacist and specialist in natural therapies. E-mail:
rharkn@aol.com.
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