cinnamon and chromium

[Romola]

What do our experts think about cinnamon and chromium as food supplements?

 

[Dennis]

A few people have reported that cinnamon had a small impact on BS (around 0.5mmol) but the majority have said it made no difference at all. I don't remember seeing much on the forum about chromium.

 

[cugila]

Here is a link for much information about Chromium and supplements:

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/chromium.asp

I am not convinced at all that we need a supplement, it occurs naturally in some foods anyway. See report above.

This also is an extract from the report:

Overall, the value of chromium supplements for diabetics is inconclusive and controversial [36]. Randomized controlled clinical trials in well-defined, at-risk populations where dietary intakes are known are necessary to determine the effects of chromium on markers of diabetes [35].

Till then, I wouldn,t touch it.

As for Cinnamon, dont know. Only use it in cooking sometimes.

 

[Grumpy]

Been trying cinnamon, but I'll have to leave it - hot flushes were made worse! Who'd be a female... :roll:

 

[tubolard]

Lili Elbe did :lol: :lol: :lol:

Tubs.

 

[markd]

What do our experts think about cinnamon and chromium as food supplements?

I'm not an expert, but I've been interested in this question too.

I've just started on both Chromium and Cinnamon daily. My last 7 fasting readings (before starting were:

4.7, 4.3, 4.6, 4.3, 4.6, 4.5, 4.8 and according to my trusty OneToucj Ultra, my 7day (all readings) average is 4.8 and for last 14days was 4.6

The first two fasting readings since I started are 4.5 and 4.4

I'll see what the results are in a week and I was thinking of doing one week on and one week off, to account for the usual variability. Over a few weeks, perhaps a high/low pattern in the averages will be visible.

Or perhaps not....

MarkD

 

[Kash2001]

Is chromium any use to a type 1 case will it add the absorption of insulin in theory :?: are theyre any other food supplements that can help to stabilize a type 1 absorption.

Thanks all

 

[Trinkwasser]

IMO chromium will probably only help if you have a dietary shortage (same for magnesium etc.) Cinnamon seems to work for some but not others, it's worth a try because if it doesn't work it still tastes good

Don;t expect more than minor improvements though.

 

[markd]

After a week of cinnamon/chromium, my fasting average for the week (7 readings) is up by 0.1

My post-prandial average, however, (10 readings) is down by 0.3

Maybe I'll extend the 'on' period to two weeks in case a week is not long enough to see any effects.

At least the cinnamon tastes and smells pleasant, if nothing else!

Food intake has been much the same, but for 4 extra pints of beer (evening) this week. Exercise was certainly less this week - call it down by 25%. Generally, I've been feeling a bit more apprehensive and less at ease this week - work issues.

I'm not at all sure that any of this is even remotely statistically significant of course!


Mark

 

[markd]

After a week of cinnamon/chromium, my fasting average for the week (7 readings) is up by 0.1

My post-prandial average, however, (10 readings) is down by 0.3

Maybe I'll extend the 'on' period to two weeks in case a week is not long enough to see any effects.

Mark

OK, now two weeks in on Cinnamon/Chromium and my fasting average over 2 weeks is down by 0.1 (even including an anomolously high one yesterday) and my postprandials are still down by 0.3 on average, compared to the previous couple of months.

After dinner last night was 4.6 and fasting this morning was 4.3

Sounds fine, but I've also lost an extra few pounds in weight over the last few weeks, which could quite easily explain the modest drop in BG.

I'll stick with these two supplements (plus my mid-day 500mg Metformin of course) for another two weeks and then go back to metformin only and see what happens.

If the 0.1/0.3 reduction is sustained, that will be good - OK, may not be a huge amount but better than a poke in the eye...

One thing about the Cinnamon - the pleasant smell does seem to make the side-effects of Metfartin less of a social embarrassment...


Mark.

 

[markd]

I'll stick with these two supplements (plus my mid-day 500mg Metformin of course) for another two weeks and then go back to metformin only and see what happens.

If the 0.1/0.3 reduction is sustained, that will be good - OK, may not be a huge amount but better than a poke in the eye...

Mark.

OK, I've done several more two week on/off cycles of cinnamon/chromium on top of my usual once daily 500mg metformin.

It looks like the 0.1 reduction in fasting I found first time round is maintained and in PP readings varies between 0.2 and 0.3 reduction.

OK, not a lot, but quite cheap to do and even a modest reduction presumably reduces the load on my pancreas a little, so I'll stick permanently with 1x500Mg Met per day (though I've wondered about breaking in half for two meals as these are non-ER), Chromium once per day and Cinnamon with each meal.

I don't know if the Cinnamon/Chromium combination is responsible for reducing BG directly, or by acting in concert with the Metformin is some way - I suspect that with such small differences you'd need a far bigger data set to find out.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has results of Cinnamon experiments to report.

Anyway, it seems to work for me - and I'm heading out for a celebratory pint of Real Ale now.

Mark.

 

[inwales]

I am going to try both too after reading Patrick Holford's suggestion.

Cinnamon sprinkled on slices of apple and pears was very enjoyable.

 

[markd]

I am going to try both too after reading Patrick Holford's suggestion.

Cinnamon sprinkled on slices of apple and pears was very enjoyable.

How are you getting on with that?

I've stayed on the Chromium/Cinnamon regime continuously now and my fasting figures have stabilised in a range between 4.1 and 4.4, so I'm happy with that. I do break my single 500mg Met into two halves, for the two main meals of the day.

mark

 

[inwales]

Still waiting for my chromium tabs, but have noticed that since using cinnamon, i feel fuller!

 

[MrsPugwash]

I seem to remember reading a study a little while ago that found that chromium supplements were only effective in stabilising blood glucose in subjects who already had a chromium deficiency. Will try and dig out the reference.