Does Cinnamon Fix Low Blood Sugar?
Marketers of herbal supplements often vaguely refer to “glucose balance” in labeling cinnamon supplements. As with all herbal supplements, be cautious and take note of scientific studies before deciding to use this much-loved spice as anything more than a flavoring agent. Diabetes Control It’s important to note that studies of the effect of cinnamon on glucose levels focus on people with diabetes–not people whose glucose levels are low. Hypoglycemia (low glucose) can be a precursor for later development of diabetes or a complication of diabetes, but cinnamon’s effects on glucose levels–if indeed any effects truly exist–are not said to raise low glucose levels into a healthy range. The effect–still being studied–is to possibly lower glucose levels, not raise them. Early Studies An early study, accepted by the American Diabetes Association in 2003, tested 60 people with diabetes, giving them daily doses of up to 6 g of cinnamon for 40 days. The type of cinnamon used for the study wa
