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Cinnamon Linked To Blood Sugar Control In Prediabetes, Study Finds

Photo: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Our ancestors used herbs and spices to flavor foods and soon learned that some of them seemed to improve their health. Today, science is looking more closely at those claims. Read on to find out the latest research on these historically healthy spices and herbs.

Photo: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
One of the most commonly used spices in the world, cinnamon has been linked in various studies to improvement in cholesterol and blood sugar control, and it seems to have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.
Enjoy it on your food, but hold off on using capsule supplements, says Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokeswoman Lauri Wright. There’s not enough research on dosage and long-term impact, and if you have liver issues, it could be dangerous.

Photo: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Uniquely fragrant, rosemary has historically been known for its impact on memory. Shakespeare wrote about it in Hamlet, when Ophelia says to her brother Laertes, “There’s rosemary; that’s for remembrance.”
Studies have shown that rosemary has strong anti-inflammatory properties and seems to improve memory in mice and humans, making it a promising target for Alzheimer’s research. Its natural antioxidant abilities persuaded the European Union to approve rosemary extract as a food preservative.
As with any herb, be careful. There are compounds in rosemary oil that could worsen bleeding or seizures and be harmful if taken by mouth.

Photo: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Turmeric, a common spice in curry powder and other Indian dishes, is another powerhouse spice often touted for its anti-inflammatory properties. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says that claim isn’t yet supported but points to studies that show it can control knee pain as well as ibuprofen, reduce the number of heart attacks after bypass surgery, and reduce skin irritation after breast cancer radiation treatment. Be aware that using turmeric in high doses or over a long period could cause stomach distress.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Ancient records from Greece, Rome and Egypt mention the use of mint as a healing herb; today, we often see peppermint used for colds, headaches and digestive issues. Studies of peppermint oil show that it may improve irritable bowel symptoms when taken in capsules and when applied topically may lessen tension headaches, but there’s no evidence that it can help the common cold or other conditions. Be warned: Excessive doses of peppermint oil can be toxic.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Asian medicine has used dried ginger for centuries for stomachaches, nausea and diarrhea. Scientific studies show that ginger could help control nausea from cancer chemotherapy when used along with conventional medications, and it may reduce morning sickness among pregnant women, who should be sure to consult with an OB/GYN first.
When used as a spice, ginger is considered safe, but there is some concern that it could interact with blood thinners and increase the flow of bile, which might affect anyone with gallstone disease.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Garlic is the edible bulb of the lily family and is widely promoted as a health aid for high blood pressure, cancer, cholesterol and the common cold. But the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says the research into these claims is inconclusive. The center recommends adding garlic to foods but warns that it can increase the risk of bleeding in those on warfarin or needing surgery and can interfere with some drugs, including one that treats HIV.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
It takes 75,000 saffron blossoms to produce one pound of saffron, making it one of the world’s most expensive spices. Studies have shown that it may help with depression, menstrual discomfort, and possibly Alzheimer’s, but research is inconclusive for a positive impact on erectile dysfunction, asthma, cancer and many other conditions.
Use in food is considered safe, but when taken medicinally, large doses may be toxic. Even smaller doses could cause miscarriage and heart and blood pressure issues.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Sage is a potent herb often used in stuffing and butters. Studies have shown that it may be helpful for memory, cholesterol and menopausal symptoms if taken by mouth. In one study, a mixture of sage and rhubarb on cold sores was nearly as effective as the antiviral medication acyclovir.
Evidence is sparse for the use of sage for cancer, asthma and stomach pain. Use in food is considered safe, but supplements are not advised during pregnancy or if you have seizures, high or low blood pressure or a hormone-sensitive cancer such as breast or ovarian cancer.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Holy basil, sometimes known as hot basil, is revered by Hindus and used in Ayurvedic medicine as a way to counter life’s stresses. Studies have shown that chemicals in the herb may decrease blood sugar, reduce anxiety and depression, lessen stress and improve sleep, while its high antioxidant properties have researchers looking into the impact of holy basil oil on certain cancers.
Avoid the herb when pregnant, when breast-feeding or two weeks before any surgery: It has anti-blood-clotting effects, and its use during pregnancy has not been studied.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Look beyond the sweet taste of this powerful spice: Nutmeg, used unwisely, can poison you. It’s been used over the centuries as a psychedelic, to stimulate menstruation and induce abortions, and to fight infections, including the Black Plague. Its popularity as a poor man’s hallucinogen — it takes only two tablespoons to have effects — became legend when Malcolm X wrote about using it in prison.
Poison control centers see teenagers get into trouble trying it out; in addition to an uncomfortable high, they suffer abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, an unsteady heart rate and and severe confusion. Dr. Leon Gussow wrote in Emergency Medicine News that “Many individuals who take nutmeg once as an available, inexpensive high vow never to do it again.”

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Eating the flowers, leaves and oil of the herb thyme, either alone or in conjunction with other herbs, may have some benefit for symptoms of colds and bronchitis, especially coughs. But research into other uses, such as agitation, hair loss and movement disorders, is still inconclusive.
Use in food is considered safe, but the use of supplements is not advised before surgery or if you have a bleeding disorder or a hormone-sensitive cancer such as breast or ovarian cancer.

Photos: 12 healthy herbs and spices: A closer look
Oregano, a frequent player in Italian food, seems to contain chemicals that may reduce coughs, spasms and digestive issues, including killing some parasites in the intestines. There’s insufficient evidence for other uses, such as for wound healing, asthma, arthritis and heart conditions.
Stay away from medicinal uses during pregnancy, as it has not been studied, and before surgery, as it might increase the risk of bleeding.
(CNN) Cinnamon may improve blood sugar control in people with a condition known as prediabetes and may slow the progression to type 2 diabetes, according to a new pilot study of 51 people with elevated blood sugars.
“We are looking for safe, durable and cost-effective approaches to reduce the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes,” said study author Dr. Giulio Romeo, a staff physician at Boston’s Joslin Diabetes Center and the division of endocrinology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The study published Tuesday in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
“Our 12-week study showed beneficial effects of adding cinnamon to the diet on keeping blood sugar levels stable in participants with prediabetes,” Romeo said. “These findings provide the rationale for longer and larger studies to address if cinnamon can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time.”
Cinnamon's health effects
There are two basic types of cinnamon: Ceylon, which is grown in Sri Lanka, and cassia, which is widely produced in China and Indonesia. Cassia has the stronger flavor and odor of the two and, due to its much lower cost, is what most of us buy in the store to sprinkle on our food.
Past research has linked cassia cinnamon to better blood sugar levels. A small study of 18 people with type 2 diabetes found cassia was more effective than diet alone in lowering blood glucose levels; It was even comparable to oral diabetes medications.
Another study of 60 people with type 2 diabetes found that small doses of cassia cinnamon reduced blood sugar levels while improving LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol.
Other studies, however, have failed to duplicate those findings. A 2012 review of 10 randomized controlled trials, for example, didn’t find sufficient evidence to support using cinnamon to control blood sugars.
Romeo believes part of the issue is that people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are likely on various medications that might interfere with study results.
So he and a group of researchers in South Korea decided to focus specifically on people with prediabetes who were not yet on medications. South Korea was included, Romeo said, because the rates of diabetes in East and South Asia have been rising at a particularly fast rate over the last three decades.
The small, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial gave study participants in Boston and South Korea a 500-milligram capsule of cassia cinnamon or a placebo three times a day over 12 weeks. The study used a very sensitive, fasting plasma glucose test to measure the response.
“The difference between the groups of patients was significant,” Romeo said. “Blood glucose levels of people on cinnamon would not go as high as the participants on placebo after meals and also would return to baseline much faster.”
Prediabetes is serious
More than 88 million Americans — one in three adults — have prediabetes, according to the CDC. Around the world, studies estimate some 352 million were prediabetic in 2017. By 2045 that number is estimated to grow to 587 million people
Prediabetes occurs when cells in your body don’t respond normally to insulin, a hormone made by your pancreas. Insulin serves as a key, unlocking the doors of cells to allow glucose in the bloodstream to enter and be used for energy, and then stores any leftover glucose in the liver.
Lifestyle measures are key to preventing prediabetes from escalating into type 2 diabetes. Even a small amount of weight loss, such as 5% to 7% of your body weight, can make a difference, experts say. For a 200-pound person, that’s 10 to 14 pounds.
Consider the Mediterranean diet, which has been shown to prevent the development of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer and atherosclerosis, as well as helping with weight loss.
Regular physical activity is another necessity — 30 minutes a day, five days a week of brisk walking or a similar activity can also make a difference.
When cells fail to open, beta cells in the pancreas produce more and more insulin in a bid to force the cells to respond. After some time, those beta cells wear out, and glucose levels in the bloodsteam build up, creating prediabetes, and if left unchecked, type 2 diabetes.
You have prediabetes if your glucose level after an overnight fast is 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) of blood, according to the American Diabetes Association. A reading of 126 mg/dL and higher means you have type 2 diabetes.
Prediabetes can exist for years with no clear symptoms. In fact, the CDC says more than 84% of people who have the condition have no clue they are in danger.
But they are. Diabetes can impact every major organ in the body and lead to kidney failure, blindness, heart disease, stroke and damage to both the large and small blood vessels of the body. This can lead to impotence in men and sexual dysfunction in women as well as nerve damage in the legs, feet and toes, which can lead to amputation.
Trying cinnamon at home
Be careful, however, not to use too much on food or in capsules. Cassia cinnamon, the most common form, can contain relatively high concentrations of coumarin, a plant compound that can damage the liver.
A study of 91 cinnamon samples from various stores in Germany found 63 times more coumarin in cassia cinnamon powder than in Ceylon powder, the more expensive version grown in Sri Lanka. Cassia sticks, which look like a thick layer of rolled bark, also contained 18 times more coumarin than Ceylon sticks, which have thin layers.
The Food and Drug Administration’s recommended limit is 6 grams a day of cinnamon, which is about a tablespoon, said registered dietitian Lisa Drayer, who writes about nutrition for CNN, in a prior interview.
“I think the bottom line is that cinnamon is a perfect pantry staple, a pleasant spice that can add flavor to foods for minimal calories, with antioxidant properties that may give an edge to those looking to better control their blood sugar,” Drayer said.
“But we need to see more research before we can make any solid health claims linking cinnamon to reduce risk of disease or improved health.”