cinnamon and diabetes

[Guest guest]

Hi,

 

it was brought to my attention that cinnamon has been shown in small studies

to have a beneficial effect on blood glucose levels. In vitro, and then also

in a (small) study in Pakistan. Here's the full text of the article:

http://care.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/26/12/3215

The authors are optimistic about its effect, I am still somewhat skeptical,

it was only a short term observation (60 days).

Has TCM ever spoken of a beneficial effect of cinnamon on diabetes (the

study only speaks about type 2 diabetes)? If so, what would the mechanism

then be??

Here's a copy of a news report:

 

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994413

 

 

The World's No.1 Science & Technology News Service

 

 

 

Cinnamon spice produces healthier blood

 

17:52 24 November 03

 

NewScientist.com news service

 

 

Just half a teaspoon of cinnamon a day significantly reduces blood sugar

levels in diabetics, a new study has found. The effect, which can be

produced even by soaking a cinnamon stick your tea, could also benefit

millions of non-diabetics who have blood sugar problem but are unaware of it

 

 

The discovery was initially made by accident, by Richard Anderson at the US

Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville,

Maryland.

 

" We were looking at the effects of common foods on blood sugar, " he told New

Scientist. One was the American favourite, apple pie, which is usually

spiced with cinnamon. " We expected it to be bad. But it helped, " he says.

 

Sugars and starches in food are broken down into glucose, which then

circulates in the blood. The hormone insulin makes cells take in the glucose

to be used for energy or made into fat.

 

But people with Type 1 diabetes do not produce enough insulin. Those with

Type 2 diabetes produce it, but have lost sensitivity to it. Even apparently

healthy people, especially if they are overweight, sedentary or over 25,

lose sensitivity to insulin. Having too much glucose in the blood can cause

serious long-term damage to eyes, kidneys, nerves and other organs.

 

 

Molecular mimic

 

The active ingredient in cinnamon turned out to be a water-soluble

polyphenol compound called MHCP. In test tube experiments, MHCP mimics

insulin, activates its receptor, and works synergistically with insulin in

cells.

 

To see if it would work in people, Alam Khan, who was a postdoctoral fellow

in Anderson's lab, organised a study in Pakistan. Volunteers with Type 2

diabetes were given one, three or six grams of cinnamon powder a day, in

capsules after meals.

 

All responded within weeks, with blood sugar levels that were on average 20

per cent lower than a control group. Some even achieved normal blood sugar

levels. Tellingly, blood sugar started creeping up again after the diabetics

stopped taking cinnamon.

 

The cinnamon has additional benefits. In the volunteers, it lowered blood

levels of fats and " bad " cholesterol, which are also partly controlled by

insulin. And in test tube experiments it neutralised free radicals, damaging

chemicals which are elevated in diabetics.

 

 

Buns and pies

 

" I don't recommend eating more cinnamon buns, or even more apple pie - there

s too much fat and sugar, " says Anderson. " The key is to add cinnamon to

what you would eat normally. "

 

 

The active ingredient is not in cinnamon oils. But powdered spice can be

added to toast, cereal, juice or coffee.

 

Anderson's team were awarded patents related to MHCP in 2002. But the

chemical is easily obtained. He notes that one of his colleagues tried

soaking a cinnamon stick in tea. " He isn't diabetic - but it lowered his

blood sugar, " Anderson says.

 

The group now plans to test even lower doses of cinnamon in the US, and also

look at long-term blood sugar management with the spice.

 

Journal reference: Diabetes Care (vol 26, p 3125)

 

Tom.