Cinnamon in diabetes: the influence of cinnamon on the organism

Cinnamon is said to have a positive effect on blood sugar levels in diabetes. Learn what you need to know about the spice in connection with diabetes in this health tip.

Cinnamon for Diabetes - Explanation of Diabetes Types

To better understand the effect of cinnamon on diabetes, we first explain the two types of diabetes.

• In a healthy organism, the hormone insulin ensures that the glucose consumed through the diet, i.e. the sugar, can get from the blood into the individual cells of the body.
• There, glucose serves as an energy supplier. The insulin keeps the blood sugar level in the normal range. There are two forms of diabetes mellitus, each with a different cause that causes the blood sugar level to be too high.
• Type 1 diabetes: This type of diabetes is an autoimmune disease.
• In this case, the immune system destroys the cells in the pancreas that produce the hormone insulin. Insulin is therefore completely absent and the sugar cannot be absorbed by the cells from the blood.
• For this reason, the only form of treatment for type 1 diabetes is to inject insulin, i.e. to inflict the body.
• Type 2 diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is also commonly known as adult diabetes. Here the body produces insulin, but somewhat slower than would be the case in a healthy organism.
• Then there is the so-called insulin resistance of the cells. This means that the individual body cells no longer react as well to the insulin and therefore absorb the sugar less well from the blood.

Effect of cinnamon on diabetes

Since the hormone insulin is completely absent in type 1 diabetes, the only possible therapy here is the supply of insulin from the outside.

• In type 1, cinnamon or any other spice or medication plays no role and has no effect on blood sugar.
• The situation is different with type 2 diabetes. A certain ingredient in cinnamon is believed to increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
• Cinnamon can counteract insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes. This effect of cinnamon has also been demonstrated in a study.
• However, this doesn't work with normal cinnamon powder like you use as a spice. The substance in question - it is a methylhydroxyalkylene polymer (MHCP for short) - is only effective in an aqueous cinnamon extract.
• Another study showed that in type 2 diabetics, blood sugar can be reduced by eating a certain amount of cinnamon. The prerequisite is that between one and six grams of cinnamon are consumed daily for a long time.
• Another theory about the effects of cinnamon on diabetes is that delayed gastric emptying is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels.
• The slower the food reaches the intestine for further digestion, the slower the absorption of sugar into the blood.

From a certain amount, cinnamon can harm the body. You can find out how much cinnamon can be harmful to your health in our next health tip.