Surprisingly little discussion about cinnamon?

[vit90]

If it does work it probably takes time but even after almost a week of cinnamon-enhanced food and drink my ad-hoc tests today are disappointing: http://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/newcastle-diet-3-years-on.69257/page-2

 

[AloeSvea]

At my local organic food store I bought the Ceylon cinnamon (from Madagascar) - the two varieties well labeled - the Ceylon variety and the Cassia variety - and thankfully powdered. I brought it home, and dipped my finger in - and truly understand why I love cinnamon so much! It is wonderfully delightfully, and yes as you say Vit90 - delicately - sweet! (Why did I never really realise this before?)

Thanks again for the information. We diabetics need everything we can get that is naturally sweet AND good for us! (I felt sad going past the lolly aisle in the supermarket today, mourning my lolly-eating past. But very pleased with my new packet of Ceylon cinnamon!)

 

[vit90]

It seems that in the USA the majority of cinnamon used is of the Cassia variety while in the UK it's Ceylon cinnamon. I did read that in Denmark they use Cassia for Danish pastries though. The best way to be sure what you are getting is to buy the sticks and note their appearance; if the sticks are composed of thick sections of the bark that can hardly be folded more than once and are very difficulty to break and grind then that's Cassia. On the other hand Ceylon cinnamon is much thinner, more delicate - so easily broken and ground; in stick form you can see it's rolled tightly in many layers. It's also a lighter colour.

Update: Looking at cinnamon sticks in my local Sainsburys they are clearly the Ceylon type (both Schwartz and Sainsburys own brand). The sticks are tightly rolled scrolls of thin bark with lots of layers. Price seems good too.

I mis-calculated; I bought 200g cinnamon sticks via eBay for £7 including postage, so that's £3.50/100g. Sainsburys (sticks) is £7.69/100g and Schwartz is £12.69/100g. On the other hand the supermarket sticks look finer. No problem with taste with the eBay ones though and they are definitely Ceylon cinnamon as advertised.

 

[neels]

Hi,

I have been getting the cinnamon sticks from my local indian store and then grinding it into powder form myself. I add about a quarter teaspoon into my breakfast (porridge) every morning. Not sure if its doing anything but I love cinnamon anyway and it makes the porridge taste a bit better

 

[vit90]

Hi,

I have been getting the cinnamon sticks from my local indian store and then grinding it into powder form myself. I add about a quarter teaspoon into my breakfast (porridge) every morning. Not sure if its doing anything but I love cinnamon anyway and it makes the porridge taste a bit better

Is porridge a good idea? 60% carbs.

 

[Kat100]

Love it on porriage keeps me going for a whole morning ....

 

[))Denise((]

I haven't had any cinnamon for a while, but the sort that works for me is Cassia - bought as McCormicks brand on ebay from the US. When I use it I put it in a nut based muesli or this mix made into bars with mashed bananas and cooked. I'm going to make some more soon as I'm fed up with my current breakfast.

 

[neels]

Is porridge a good idea? 60% carbs.

OK a bit of a correction, I don't have just porridge, although I was advised by the dietician to have this for breakfast, but I also mix it the 'high-bran' cereals for some bulk, again something I was advised to do by the dietician.

 

[vit90]

It depends on what your goal and limits are. I use small quantities of porridge oats with a boosted proportion of oat bran and wheat bran, but even a modest serving of 50g (dry weight) means 40g of carbs. Although oatmeal is a moderate GI food I'm quite sure that would spike most diabetics. Being on a LCHF diet my goal for the whole day is to restrict carbs to under 40g - well under 40g - in total. So I just add about 10g of my bran-boosted oats to my milled linseed to make an alternative kind of low carb breakfast porridge, but I do concede it won't delight everyone.

 

[Hedonista]

I bought some cinnamon capsules but I've developed and allergic reaction to something, possibly them, so have stopped taking them for a while...

 

[Robbity]

I've always like cinnamon and had cinnamon toast regularly many years ago. I've used it both in baking and in curries. And it's always been ground or the very fine bark sticks, until recently when the stuff my husband was getting was like baby tree trunks, and no way could I break it let alone grind it up at all. And I've discovered recently that if I use it in larger quantities, it can give me bad nose bleeds - apparently it's also known for its blood thinning properties.

Robbity

 

[moveZen]

If you use cinnamon for your diabetic disorder you have to follow 3 simple rules:

1. It must be cassia
2. It must be an extract where cumarine is removed during the process.
3. It must be a dosage beyond 3g daily intake.

For a safe extract of 10:1 it amounts to 300mg then.

You mustn't take regular cassia cinnamon as you will easily croos the threshold of daily cumarine intake. Ceylon cinnamon is delicous, but that's all you get then. To the contrary, cassia showed postive effects in decreasing HbA1c. Here, again, under certain conitions: it showed effects on HbA1c's that are beyond 7-8%. That means, well managed diabetics with HbA1c below 6% will be likely to not benefit. For those above 8%, studies showed a decrease up to 1% of HbA1c.

Cumarin is proven to cause (reversible) hepatic disorders. You don't want that, so go for safe extract if you want to give it a try

 

[davidob]

Hi guys thanks for the posts is there any thing that does help blood sugar

 

[Alisonjane10]

If you use cinnamon for your diabetic disorder you have to follow 3 simple rules:

1. It must be cassia
2. It must be an extract where cumarine is removed during the process.
3. It must be a dosage beyond 3g daily intake.

For a safe extract of 10:1 it amounts to 300mg then.

You mustn't take regular cassia cinnamon as you will easily croos the threshold of daily cumarine intake. Ceylon cinnamon is delicous, but that's all you get then. To the contrary, cassia showed postive effects in decreasing HbA1c. Here, again, under certain conitions: it showed effects on HbA1c's that are beyond 7-8%. That means, well managed diabetics with HbA1c below 6% will be likely to not benefit. For those above 8%, studies showed a decrease up to 1% of HbA1c.

Cumarin is proven to cause (reversible) hepatic disorders. You don't want that, so go for safe extract if you want to give it a try

Well, more confused than ever now. Do you know where Cassia cinnamon with Cumarine removed can be bought. Is there are particular brand? And, why so much contradiction. I'm still learning about eating a healthy diabetic diet, so educating myself is a must. Advice gratefully received.
Ali. X

 

[Indy51]

If people are interested in trying natural supplements for diabetes, the following site may help. They rate supplements based on verified research into the supplement. Cinnamon doesn't even appear on their list, so I've never bothered with it:

http://examine.com/topics/Insulin+Sensitivity/

 

[Alisonjane10]

If people are interested in trying natural supplements for diabetes, the following site may help. They rate supplements based on verified research into the supplement. Cinnamon doesn't even appear on their list, so I've never bothered with it:

http://examine.com/topics/Insulin+Sensitivity/

Hi Indy
Checked out the link you added. Very interesting & useful. Actually, I did find Cinnamon on the list, stating the site is still compiling research about it. However, the site has identified the different types of Cinnamon & discussed toxicity etc. It'll be interesting to see what the research shows when they eventually publish. Thanks for the link. I take a couple of the mentioned supplements for reasons other than diabetes, so finding out more about them will be a bonus. Best wishes.
Ali.

Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a blend of nutrients commonly used a spice. It can help regulate glucose metabolism in diabetic people, but may also possess some toxic components.

Summary (All Essential Benefits/Effects/Facts & Information)


Cinnamon is popular spice worldwide. It exerts numerous biological effects on the body.

Cinnamon is frequently treated as an anti-diabetic compound, since it reduces the rate at which glucose enters the body. Not only does it help diabetics avoid blood sugar spikes, but it also improves glucose use in the cell itself.

Over time, cinnamon can reduce fasting blood glucose, and potentially cholesterol levels as well.

Cinnamon does not need to be purchased specifically as a supplement, and can be found in grocery stores. It does contain a liver toxin called coumarin, which can be harmful in high doses. Making cinnamon tea can reduce the risk of coumarin poisoning, since the toxin is left behind in the leftover sediment. Ceylon cinnamon, which is made from a different plant species, has lower levels of coumarin, which makes it a better supplement option.



Things to Know
Also Known As
True (Cassia) Cinnamon, Indonesian (Ceylon) Cinnamon, Chinese (Saigon) cinnamon,


Things to Note
Cinnamon is non-stimulatory

Is a Form of

• Spice
• Tea (Camellia Sinensis)

Caution Notice
Using Cassia cinnamon can expose one to dangerously high levels of the hepatotoxic and carcinogenic phytochemical 'Coumarin' when superloaded, thus if superloading cinnamon Ceylon (Indonesian) should always be used.

Examine.com Medical Disclaimer


How to Take (recommended dosage, active amounts, other details)
The standard dose for anti-diabetic purposes is 1-6g of cinnamon daily, taken with carbohydrate containing meals.

Ceylon cinnamon is always a better supplemental option than cassia cinnamon, due to the lower coumarin content.



Scientific Research
Table of Contents:

1. Cinnamon components and species
2. Cinnamon and blood sugar; anti-diabetic effects
3. Dosing and Coumarin avoidance

1. Cinnamon components and species


Cinnamon is a spice that contains several bioactive agents. Cinnamaldehydes give cinnamon its aroma[1], Coumarins (a toxin) contribute to taste[2], and several compounds including MethylHydroxyChalcone polymers (MHCPs) contribute to its systemic insulin sensitizing benefits.[3] Beyond the three unique compounds listed, cinnamon also contains tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids and anthraquinones.[4]




2. Cinnamon and blood sugar; anti-diabetic effects


Cinnamon exerts beneficial control effects against pro-diabetic diets in a number of ways.

Cinnamon can inhibit numerous digestive enzymes, such as alpha-glucosidase[4], sucrase[5] and potentially pancreatic amylase (although the only results were confounded with acarbose).[5] Via inhibition of these enzymes, cinnamon can decrease the influx of glucose into systemic circulation and avoid overly significant insulin spikes.

In systemic circulation (beyond the liver) cinnamon also possesses anti-diabetic effects. A compound in cinnamon, methylhydroxychalcone polymer (MHCP), acts as an insulin mimetic on adipocytes.[6][7][8] MHCP's effects as an insulin mimetic are dose depend, and act by transphosphorlyating the insulin receptor on the cytoplasmic membrance (the same mechanism as the insulin molecule itself). Its effects on glucose uptake and glycogen, however dose-dependent, seem to be time-delayed (When insulin acts within 10 minutes of reaching the cell, MHCPs take 30-60, suggesting an intra-cellular time delay).[9]

Cinnamon has also been implicating in aiding insulin function, potentiating its effects more than 20-fold in vitro.[10]

When ingested in human trials, cinnamon shows much promise in reducing blood glucose levels[11][12][13] and sometimes markers of lipid metabolism (LDL, Triglycerides, Total cholesterol).[14] There are also intervention studies noting improved insulin sensitivity with cinnamon extract, possibly vicariously through the reduced blood glucose levels.[15][16]




3. Dosing and Coumarin avoidance


Coumarin is a hepatotoxic and carcinogenic phytochemical found in some plants, of which cinnamon is a high source of. It is not the active compound that reduces blood sugar, but one that exists alongside the active ingredient(s). It initially had a TDI (Tolerable Daily Intake) of 2mg/kg bodyweight max, but was lowered to 0.5 and currently stands at 0.1mg/kg bodyweight.[2]Although a safety buffer is included in this last recommendation, some subsets of the human population seem more susceptible due to less of a capacity to metabolize it.[2]

This is relevant since most anti-diabetic benefits come in a dose dependent manner, in the range of 300mg/kg bodyweight[5]. In these doses, coumarin above the TDI can easily be ingested.

The best method of coumarin avoidance appears to be through the original source of cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon has the lowest levels of coumarin with below 190mg/kg (some samples being below detection levels) whereas Cassia contains between 700 (at best) and 12,230mg/kg (at worst).[17]. Ceylon can be detected in stick form via its numerous thin folds, whereas Cassia has less folds and a thicker appearance. They cannot be distinguished in powder form, and Cassia is more frequently used in production and manufacturing.[2][18]

Via the above numbers, a 200lb human can ingest 4.78g of Ceylon Cinnamon and arrive at the 0.1mg/kg bodyweight TDI for coumarin at worst (using the highest recorded dose of coumarin in cinnamon). Using Cassia cinnamon with a coumarin will invariably place somebody above the TDI.

There seems to be little variance on coumarin absorption depending on form of cinnamon ingested. Similar serum levels and excreted levels were achieved with isolated coumarin, pill form cinnamon, tea and rice pudding (solid food).[19] These results were standardized to X dose of coumarin, so source of cinnamon is irrelevant.

The above study, however, did note a 38.5% extraction rate of coumarin from powder to liquid when steeped (just boiling for 30 minutes); suggesting that one can tip the scales more in favor of water-soluble polyphenols and MHCPs relative to coumarins if steeped and served in tea or using said cinnamon water to mix protein shakes with, as the water-soluble components have a much higher extraction rate.

 

[vit90]

After a couple of months using Ceylon cinnamon twice a day I can't really say it has had a distinct effect. Noticed that my local Asda sells what is described as Cassia bark so may try that.

 

[Alisonjane10]

Hi folks

I've found a good quality, well priced brand of cinnamon tablets. They are made with Ceylon cinnamon, 2000mg and can be bought in various pack sizes. The tablets can be bought via the brands own website or from Amazon UK for the same price. I've been using the tablets for 2 weeks now...one at bedtime with a light snack, specifically to help with higher than wanted fasting BG levels. I personally prefer the tablets, rather than using cinnamon sticks or powder, purely for the convenience. Good luck to all you folks who decide to give cinnamon a go, in whatever form suits you best.

Please PM me if you would like the brand name or website details.

Ali. X




Brand name removed by Moderator.. Please PM Ali for details.

 

[JTL]

I'm not convinced I could eat enough to have any effect.

 

[Pasha]

Cinnamon seems to be a dead horse. If it was so good it would be in widespread use by now.