HealingDeva.com

[Terri R.]

Cinnamon Extracts Boost Insulin Sensitivity

Agricultural Research Service scientists are seeking a patent on compounds extracted from cinnamon that make cells much more sensitive to insulin in test tube studies.

Nearly 6 percent of the U.S. population—15.7 million people—have diabetes, and one-third of them don't even know it. The large majority of diabetes cases are type 2—the kind that usually begins in midlife. It is characterized by the failure of body cells to recognize and respond to insulin as well as they once did. This leads to elevated blood sugar because insulin's job is to prompt cells to take in glucose.

Another 13.4 million people have elevated fasting blood sugar levels below the threshold indicating diabetes but are at high risk for developing the disease. Lack of exercise, being overweight, and genetic predisposition are often cited as contributing factors involved in the high incidence of diabetes in western countries.

Worldwide, this silent killer claims more than 100 million lives annually. It is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. And for many people, drugs or other forms of treatment are unavailable.

The search for a natural way to keep blood sugar levels normal began more than a decade ago when ARS chemist Richard A. Anderson and co-workers at the Beltsville (Maryland) Human Nutrition Research Center assayed plants and spices used in folk medicine. They found that a few spices—especially cinnamon—made fat cells much more responsive to insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar metabolism and thus controls the level of glucose in the blood.

With help from Walter F. Schmidt in ARS's Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory at Beltsville, the researchers identified the compounds in cinnamon responsible for its activity. The patent application names Anderson, his co-workers C. Leigh Broadhurst and Marilyn M. Polansky, and Schmidt as the inventors.

Cinnamon is among the world's most frequently consumed spices and is relatively inexpensive. Anderson and colleagues found that its most active compound—methylhydroxy chalcone polymer (MHCP)—increased glucose metabolism roughly 20-fold in a test tube assay of fat cells.

The researchers tested 50 some plant extracts and found that none of them came close to MHCP's level of affecting glucose metabolism—a process in which cells convert glucose to energy. If in future research MHCP proves to do the same in people, it might provide a natural remedy against diabetes.

What's more, MHCP prevented the formation of damaging oxygen radicals in a blood platelet assay.

"That could be an important side benefit," notes Anderson. "Other studies have shown that antioxidant supplements can reduce or slow the progression of various complications of diabetes."

MHCP is the first chalcone, a type of polyphenol or flavonoid, reported in cinnamon. MHCP and other active compounds are water soluble and are not found in the spice oils sold as food additives.

Anderson pointed out that the water extract reduced blood pressure in hypertensive rats even before it increased insulin sensitivity. And compounds in a water extract are less likely to be toxic in large doses than those in an oil extract, he says.—By Judy McBride, Agricultural Research Service Information Staff.

This research is part of Human Nutrition, an ARS National Program (#107) described on the World Wide Web at http://www.nps.ars.usda.gov/programs/appvs.htm.

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MORE ABOUT CINNAMON

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.

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Tip: Not sure how to get that 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon into your daily diet? If you place a 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon on your tongue and quickly drink a half glass of water, you'll barely taste the cinnamon.

[Tracer]

Great article. I had seen something on this order before and I think we discussed it. I think the popular way of getting it into our system was voted as a big cinnabun or something like that but also I think Bobin said something about filling your own capsules with cinnamon and taking it. You can get the capsules at the health food store but I am still liking the cinnabun idea These other options you mentioned are great and.......(I hate to admit this) make more sense

[Terri R.]

I'm just too lazy to buy the capsules and fill them myself. I purchased the tablets (from Vitamin World) about a month ago, but I know it's a waste of money to be taking this in tablet form.

[Tracer]

why is it a waste of money to take it in tablet form? You had to know that question was coming Something to do with absorption?

[Terri R.]

EVERYTHING to do with absorption.

[divatrudi]

I've recently been reading about cinnamon. You can just put a tablespoon into your tea and drink it up.

I think I'll try it and see how it goes.

[Tracer]

Yes do, and let us know

[Terri R.]

OK.... it's been a week or so now since I've been doing this. What am I supposed to be noticing... other than the fact that i'm getting sick of cinnamon?

[Tracer]

and missing the hot bun and icing?????

[divatrudi]

ha ha ha

I think what you should notice is not feeling the swells of your blood sugar rising and dropping during the day. Feeling more level. Fewer cravings. Less desire for simple carbohydrates.

So?