Cinnamon intake lowers fasting blood glucose: meta-analysis

J Med Food. 2011 Sep;14(9):884-9. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2010.0180. Epub 2011 Apr 11.

Abstract

Cinnamon, the dry bark and twig of Cinnamomum spp., is a rich botanical source of polyphenolics that has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine and has been shown to affect blood glucose and insulin signaling. Cinnamon's effects on blood glucose have been the subject of many clinical and animal studies; however, the issue of cinnamon intake's effect on fasting blood glucose (FBG) in people with type 2 diabetes and/or prediabetes still remains unclear. A meta-analysis of clinical studies of the effect of cinnamon intake on people with type 2 diabetes and/or prediabetes that included three new clinical trials along with five trials used in previous meta-analyses was done to assess cinnamon's effectiveness in lowering FBG. The eight clinical studies were identified using a literature search (Pub Med and Biosis through May 2010) of randomized, placebo-controlled trials reporting data on cinnamon and/or cinnamon extract and FBG. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Biostat Inc., Englewood, NJ, USA) was performed on the identified data for both cinnamon and cinnamon extract intake using a random-effects model that determined the standardized mean difference ([i.e., Change 1(control) - Change 2(cinnamon)] divided by the pooled SD of the post scores). Cinnamon intake, either as whole cinnamon or as cinnamon extract, results in a statistically significant lowering in FBG (-0.49±0.2 mmol/L; n=8, P=.025) and intake of cinnamon extract only also lowered FBG (-0.48 mmol/L±0.17; n=5, P=.008). Thus cinnamon extract and/or cinnamon improves FBG in people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Blood Glucose / analysis
  • Cinnamomum zeylanicum / chemistry*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / diet therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / physiopathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / etiology
  • Hyperglycemia / prevention & control*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Oils, Volatile / chemistry
  • Oils, Volatile / therapeutic use
  • Plant Bark / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / therapeutic use
  • Plant Preparations / chemistry
  • Plant Preparations / therapeutic use*
  • Plant Stems / chemistry
  • Prediabetic State / blood
  • Prediabetic State / diet therapy
  • Prediabetic State / physiopathology
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Spices* / analysis

Substances

  • Blood Glucose
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Oils, Volatile
  • Plant Extracts
  • Plant Preparations
  • cinnamon oil, bark