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Once thought of as nothing more than a way to make your cookies tasty, scientists now understand that cinnamon is an important tool in many facets of patients’ health. In fact, some scientists believe that consuming a small daily dosage of cinnamon may help the health of patients suffering from type II diabetes. Cinnamon’s effect on blood sugar is thought to be due to a proanthocyanidin, an active ingredient that increases sensitivity of receptors to insulin.

The most recent cinnamon medical benefit discovered emerged from a Pakistani study. Sixty patients, all suffering from type II diabetes, and who were taking anti-diabetic drugs to increase their insulin at the time of the study but were not taking insulin, were given small doses of cinnamon. The doses ranged from a quarter teaspoon to less than two teaspoons a day for 40 days.

The results shocked the world. The small dosage of cinnamon helped reduce the patients’ blood sugar levels and increase their natural production of insulin. It also lowered their blood cholesterol. Blood cholesterol levels dropped by 10 to 26 percent! The significant drop affected the overall cholesterol levels of the patients, and reduced their LDL (the “bad” cholesterol,) while not reducing their “good” cholesterol.

Furthermore, the results extended past the end of the trial. After they had stopped consuming cinnamon, the patients continued to see beneficial effects for twenty days after the treatment! For the millions of Americans who suffer from diabetes, the Pakistani research was a ray of hope. At the end of the trial, all the patients showed improved natural insulin production and better glucose metabolism. The Pakistani trials’ results were echoed at the University of California, Iowa State University and the Department of Agriculture. In these university studies, researches found that cinnamon helped type II diabetics by playing the role of an insulin substitute.

Another independent study conducted by Dr. Heping Cao of the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center investigated the biochemical basis for the insulin-like effects of cinnamon. Dr. Cao’s results showed that cinnamon, much like insulin, increases the amount of three vitally important proteins involved in the body’s insulin control, glucose transport, and inflammatory response. Dr. Cao concluded that the study provides new biochemical evidence for the beneficial effects of cinnamon in influencing insulin levels and suggests anti-inflammatory properties for the antioxidants in cinnamon.

To further understand the medical activity of the spice, a team of naturopathic physicians and scientists decided to systematically review the scientific literature for evidence of medical benefits and the safety record of cinnamon dosages, efficacy, and pharmacological activity of common and cassia cinnamon. The researcher team was comprised of Jean-Jacques Dugoua ND, Dugland Seely, BSc, ND, Dan Perri, MD, Kieran Cooley, ND, Taryn Forelli, ND, Edward Mills, Ph.D., and Gideon Koren, MD. The study was titled “From Type 2 Diabetes to Antioxidant Activity, The Safety Efficacy of Common (Cinnamomum Verum, C. Zeylanicum) and Cassia (Cinnamomum Aromaticum) Cinnamon Bark – A Systematic Review.”

The results showed that based on strong scientific evidence from two of three randomized clinical trials reviewed, cassia cinnamon demonstrated a therapeutic effect in reducing fasting blood glucose by 10.3%. A word of caution to patients suffering from type II diabetes: don’t consume large doses of cinnamon!

Cinnamon in large doses may be toxic, so don’t assume that consuming large doses of cinnamon will work better than the small doses recommended in these medical studies. There is also a possibility that adding cinnamon to your diet will change the dose of medication you need to take, so carefully monitor your blood sugar levels, and always consult your medical physician before you change your diet. No longer just a spice for your hot apple cider, cinnamon has proven to be a helpful tool for type II diabetes patients!