Cinnamon
Background
There
are many types of cinnamon. Cassia cinnamon, native to China, is the
most common type sold in the United States and Canada. Ceylon cinnamon,
native to Sri Lanka, is common in other countries and is known as
“true” cinnamon.
Used as a spice for thousands of years,
cinnamon comes from the bark of the cinnamon tree. Essential oils are
made from the bark, leaves, or twigs of cassia cinnamon.
Cinnamon has a long history as a traditional medicine, including
for bronchitis.
Today,
some people use cinnamon as a dietary supplement for gastrointestinal
problems, loss of appetite, and diabetes, among
other conditions.
Cinnamon is used in capsules, teas, and extracts.
How Much Do We Know?
We have a fair amount of information on cinnamon from studies done
in people.
What Have We Learned?
Studies done in people don’t support using cinnamon for any
health condition.
A
2012 systematic review of 10 randomized controlled clinical trials in
people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes suggests that cinnamon doesn’t
help to reduce levels of glucose or glycosylated hemoglobin A1c
(HbA1c), a long-term measure of glucose (blood sugar) control.
A
product containing cinnamon, calcium, and zinc didn’t improve blood
pressure in a small study of people with type 2 diabetes.
National
Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)-supported
research is looking at the effect of cinnamon on processes involved in
multiple sclerosis.
What Do We Know About Safety?
Cinnamon
supplements appear to be safe for most people for short-term use if not
taken in large amounts. Some people may have allergic reactions
to cinnamon.
Cassia cinnamon contains varying amounts of a
chemical called coumarin, which might cause or worsen liver disease. In
most cases, cassia cinnamon doesn’t have enough coumarin to make you
sick. However, for some people, such as those with liver disease,
taking a large amount of cassia cinnamon might worsen
their condition.
Cinnamon should not be used in place of
conventional medical care or to delay seeking care if you have health
problems. This is particularly true if you have diabetes.
Keep in Mind
Tell
all your health care providers about any complementary or integrative
health approaches you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to
manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and
safe care.
Key References
- Allen
RW, Schwartzman E, Baker WL, et al. Cinnamon
use in type 2 diabetes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Annals of Family Medicine. 2013;11(5):452-459.
- Barceloux
DG. Cinnamon (Cinnamomum species). Disease-a-Month. 2009;55(6):327-335.
- Cinnamon
Bark. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at
naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on April 2, 2015.
[Database subscription].
- Cassia
Cinnamon. Natural Medicines Web site. Accessed at
naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ on April 2, 2015.
[Database subscription].
- Dugoua
JJ, Seely D, Perri D, et al. From
type 2 diabetes to antioxidant activity: a systematic review of the
safety and efficacy of common and cassia cinnamon bark. Canadian Journal of Physiology
and Pharmacology. 2007;85(9):837-847.
- Leach
MJ, Kumar S. Cinnamon for diabetes mellitus. Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews. 2012;(9):CD007170.
Accessed at http://www.thecochranelibrary.com(link
is external) on June
24, 2015.
- Li
X, Li J, van der Werff H. Cinnamomum Schaeffer, Bot. Exped. 74. 1760,
nom. cons. Flora of China. 2008;7:166-187.
Accessed at http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF07/Cinnamomum.pdf(link
is external) on June
24, 2015.
- Lungarini
S, Aureli F, Coni E. Coumarin
and cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon marketed in Italy: a natural chemical
hazard? Food Additives &
Contaminants. Part A: Chemistry, Analysis, Control, Exposure &
Risk Assessment. 2008;25(11):1297-1305.
- Wainstein
J, Stern N, Heller S, et al. Dietary
cinnamon supplementation and changes in systolic blood pressure in
subjects with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2011;14(12):1505-1510.
- Woehrlin
F, Fry H, Abraham K, et al. Quantification
of flavoring constituents in cinnamon: high variation of coumarin in
cassia bark from the German retail market and in authentic samples from
Indonesia. Journal of Agricultural and Food
Chemistry. 2010;58(19):10568-10575.
-NIH
