Although many randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have revealed the benefits of cinnamon on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the effects of cinnamon supplementation on glycemic control in patients with T2DM are inconclusive. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis of RCTs was to assess the effects of cinnamon supplementation in managing glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Scientific international databases including Scopus, Web of Sciences, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched till December 2022. For net changes in glycemic control, standard mean differences (SMDs) were calculated using random-effects models. Findings from 24 RCTs revealed that cinnamon supplementation had a statistically significant reduction in fasting blood sugar (SMD: -1.32; 95% CI: -1.77, -0.87, p < 0.001), Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (SMD: -1.32; 95% CI: -1.77, -0.87, p < 0.001), and hemoglobin A1C (SMD: -0.67; 95% CI: -1.18, -0.15, p = 0.011) compared with the control group in patients with T2DM. Additionally, cinnamon did not change the serum levels of insulin (SMD: -0.17; 95% CI: -0.34, 0.01, p = 0.058) significantly. Our analysis indicated that glycemic control indicators are significantly decreased by cinnamon supplementation. Together, these findings support the notion that cinnamon supplementation might have clinical potential as an adjunct therapy for managing T2DM.
Keywords: cinnamon; glycemic control; meta-analysis; systematic review; type 2 diabetes.
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