Study champions Ceylon cinnamon to control post-prandial hyperglycaemia

Post-prandial hyperglycaemia — or spiking blood sugar after a meal — is a known risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, obesity, oxidative stress and cardiovascular diseases.

Research has suggested that one approach to better control these spikes is to reduce carbohydrate digestion. Extracts of Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) have shown promise in managing blood glucose, but their effect on inhibiting digestion of carbohydrates has not been thoroughly examined.

A study published in the BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine investigated how a specific Ceylon cinnamon hydroalcoholic extract (CCE) affects carbohydrate digestion and post-meal blood glucose reduction.

Eighteen healthy female and male volunteers were recruited for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial. Participants were between the ages of 18 and 45 with a body mass index between 18.5 kg/m² and 25 kg/m² in good physical condition and maintaining stable body weight. Diabetics, smokers and anyone taking drugs that affect glycaemia and insulinaemia were excluded.

Participants took 1g of CCE or a placebo 30 minutes before a standardised meal (103g of white bread containing carbohydrates [52.2%], proteins [7.4%}, lipids [0.1%] and fibre [3.3%]). Blood chemistry was performed via a handheld glucometer (Accu-Check Performa, Roche, Basel, Switzerland) within 2 hours of each meal to measure glucose and insulin levels.

The results? One gramme of CCE lowered the area under the curve of glycaemia between 0 and 120 min by 14.8% (P=0.15) and between 0 and 60 min by 21.2% (P<0.05) compared with the placebo.

This reduction happened without stimulating insulin secretion or causing adverse effects. Considering that the hypoglycaemic drugs used most often to treat diabetic patients can have severe gastrointestinal side-effects, cinnamon may be the pathway to better health for millions worldwide.