Cinnamon beats placebo in prediabetes

A small randomized clinical trial found that cinnamon supplements covered fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and other measures of glucose dysregulation in prediabetic patients.

FPG in 51 prediabetic patients followed for 12 weeks averaged 4.5 ± 6 mg/dL in the placebo group, but remained the same in the group receiving cinnamon supplements, resulting in approximately 5 between groups. Mean difference of mg / dL (114 ± 8 vs 108 ± 11 P<0.01), Dr. Giulio Romeo of the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and colleagues.

In addition, as shown in an online survey, Journal of the Endocrine Society, The use of cinnamon supplements reduced the area under the plasma glucose curve compared to placebo (19,946 vs 21,389 mg / dL / 120 min, P<0.05).

Cinnamon supplements, but not placebo, were also associated with a significant reduction in plasma glucose at the 2 hour time point of the oral glucose tolerance test (-20 ± 27 mg/dL, P<0.01).

“In this randomized controlled trial in prediabetics, 500 mg cinnamon three times daily resulted in a statistically significant mean group difference in FPG of about 5 mg / dl over 12 weeks, which is the study’s It was a key outcome indicator. At 6 weeks, there was no change in FPG, which was one of the three pre-specified secondary endpoints.”

“Our 12-week study showed the beneficial effects of adding cinnamon to the diet in keeping blood sugar levels stable in prediabetics,” Romeo said in a news release. “These findings provide the basis for a long-term, large-scale study to determine whether cinnamon can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time.”

According to the criteria used by the American Diabetes Association, approximately 38% of the United States population has prediabetes. Of these, approximately 3% to 11% develop type 2 diabetes each year. Lifestyle interventions and antidiabetic drugs are used to prevent progression, but half of those who received any treatment are still progressing. “Therefore, identifying effective, durable, safe and cost-effective strategies for the prevention of type 2 diabetes remains a clinically relevant unmet need, especially in low and middle income countries. It remains,” the researchers said.

Over the years, randomized clinical trials have tested different forms of cinnamon in adults with type 2 diabetes. The dose ranged from 500 to 6,000 mg, and the study duration ranged from 4 weeks to 4 months. In the majority of trials, FPG was reduced by 10% to 15% from baseline. However, changes in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were not consistent between trials.

Romeo’s group suggested that cinnamon’s proposed mechanism for glucose-lowering activity is increased translocation of glucose transporter type 4 membranes, stimulation of postprandial levels of glucagon-like peptide 1, inhibition of α-glucosidase activity, and anti-antibody activity. It has been described that oxidative properties are involved.

“In prediabetic individuals, there is more limited evidence from randomized clinical trials addressing the effects of synapses on glucose homeostasis,” the researchers added. “Specifically, it is unclear whether this population: (a) cinnamon affects FPG, glucose tolerance, or both, and (b) whether responses to cinnamon are conserved across ethnic groups. It remains.”

The new double-blind trial included two ethnic groups. 39 people were hired at Gyeonghui University Medical Center in Seoul, Korea. Twelve people were hired at the Joslin Diabetes Center. All participants were prediabetic adults between the ages of 20 and 70.

Inclusion criteria are:

• Impaired fasting blood glucose defined as 100-125 mg/dL FPG

• Impaired glucose tolerance is demonstrated by 2-hour plasma glucose levels of 140-199 mg / dL based on 75-g oral glucose tolerance test

Patients were excluded if they had evidence of diabetes or other significant endocrine, cardiovascular, lung, kidney, or liver disease.

Participants were randomly assigned 1:1 and cinnamon capsules (300 mg cinnamon extract (Cinnamon.. ) And 200 mg Cinnamomum burmannii Powder or similar placebo capsules containing cellulose, food coloring, cinnamon aroma. Participants took the capsules 3 times daily for 12 weeks, with laboratory tests at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks.

According to the limitations of the study, the duration of the study was too short to assess the progression of pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes and to distinguish participants with impaired fasting glucose compared with those with impaired glucose tolerance. I couldn’t.

Nevertheless, “12 weeks of treatment with cinnamon compared to placebo resulted in favorable changes in the measurement of glucose homeostasis in a representative population of prediabetic participants,” Romeo and coauthors conclude. It was “These findings should lay the foundation for a long-term, large-scale, randomized clinical trial that directly addresses the impact of cinnamon on the remission of incident type 2 diabetes and/or prediabetes.”