Geetendra Singh Dhanawat
Aditya Bharti Centre for Diabetes & Family Medicine, India
Title: Cinnamon and management of diabetes
Biography
Biography: Geetendra Singh Dhanawat
Abstract
Insulin sensitizing effect of Cinnamon: Miracle spice In our 14 month of clinical study the commonly used
Indian spice Cinnamon showed excellent results in prediabetic & newly diagnosed diabetic patients. In Our
clinical study we test the blood sugar lowering and insulin-sensitizing effects of Cinnamon (Cinnamomum
cassia). In our study we use 3gm of cinnamon in capsules to people with diabetes for 90 days. In 45 days
improvements in both fasting blood sugar and in LDL (“bad”) cholesterol evidenced. Although some clinical
trial results have been equivocal, several have shown benefits of cinnamon on glucose, lipid and insulin levels.
8-13 Studies also show cinnamon can potentiate insulin action and improve insulin resistance and glucose
metabolism although the detailed biochemical mechanisms aren't completely clear. Bioactive compounds in
cinnamon affect several steps in insulin signaling pathways. For example, research has shown that certain
water-soluble polyphenol compounds (type A polyphenols) extracted from cinnamon may increase insulin
sensitivity by inhibiting an enzyme (a tyrosine phosphatase) that inactivates insulin receptors.Other research
has found that water-soluble cinnamon polyphenols increase insulin-dependent proteins (GLUT4) required
for glucose uptake by adipose and muscle cells. Cinnamon extracts also may decrease proteins involved in
glucose production in the liver (gluconeogenesis). In addition, cinnamon compounds have antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory actions, which may play a role in reducing insulin resistance and diabetes complications.
The consumption of cinnamon is associated with a statistically significant decrease in levels of fasting plasma
glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglyceride levels and an increase in HDL-C levels; however, no
significant effect on hemoglobin A1C was found. The high degree of heterogeneity may limit the ability to apply
these results to patient care, because the preferred dose and duration of therapy are unclear.