PCOS: Cinnamon Articles

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cinnamon Extract Helped Women with PCOS

Cinnamon Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Cinnamon May Help PCOS

Cinnamon Reduces Insulin Resistance, Offers Multiple Benefits

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Cinnamon Extract Helped Women with PCOS

Cinnamon has been used as traditional herbal medicine for centuries. Is there a good reason for this and does it apply to polycystic ovary syndrome?

There have been a number of studies over the past few years showing that the extract of cinnamon has multiple health benefits.

One of the most important health benefits is that cinnamon extract appears to help the body control blood sugar and to reduce insulin resistance. As you may know, insulin resistance is thought to be the #1 cause of polycystic ovary syndrome.

One interesting study is from Columbia University. A group of 15 women with PCOS were given either cinnamon extract or a placebo for two months.

The women who took the cinnamon had a significant improvement in their insulin function. In contrast, the women taking the placebo showed no improvement.

You can get a very high-quality cinnamon extract here.

Other studies of people with insulin resistance problems (such as metabolic syndrome and diabetes) have shown that when they take cinnamon extract for a sustained period of time, they experience lower blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, reduced body fat percentage and weight loss.

The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture published a study that discussed the similarity of chromium and cinnamon extract. Chromium has been used for decades to reduce insulin resistance, improve insulin function and better control blood sugar.

Chromium can be found in the d-pinitol formula.

Both cinnamon extract and chromium are nutrients to consider if you have the most common pattern of PCOS, which driven in large part by insulin resistance.

Sources: Wang JG et al, The effect of cinnamon extract on insulin resistance parameters in polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study, Fertil Steril. 2007 Jul;88(1):240-3
Anderson RA et al, Chromium and polyphenols from cinnamon improve insulin sensitivity, Proc Nutr Soc. 2008 Feb;67(1):48-53

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Cinnamon Reduces Blood Sugar Levels

Thames Valley University in the UK recently reviewed eight clinical trials regarding the use of cinnamon for diabetes or insulin resistance, which is a blood sugar and insulin disorder.

Women who have PCOS also are likely to have problems with maintaining normal levels of blood sugar and insulin.

In both diabetics and non-diabetics, cinnamon was found to lower blood sugar levels or dampen the rise in blood sugar after eating a meal. However, some of the studies were inconclusive.

A new study of rats by the USDA has shown that cinnamon favorably helps to regulate the genes involved in insulin resistance and creation of fat.

This recent evidence suggests that cinnamon is something that can be helpful if you have issues with blood sugar, insulin resistance or being overweight.

Insulin resistance is the inability to efficiently utilize the hormone insulin. Insulin resistance is thought to be the primary cause of most cases of PCOS.

You can add cinnamon to your food, and you can purchase highly concentrated cinnamon extract in our online store.

Source:
Kirkham S et al, The potential of cinnamon to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, Diabetes Obes Metab, 2009; 11(12): 1100-13
Qin B al, Cinnamon Extract Regulates Plasma Levels of Adipose-derived Factors and Expression of Multiple Genes Related to Carbohydrate Metabolism and Lipogenesis in Adipose Tissue of Fructose-fed Rats, Horm Metab Res. 2009 Nov 23. [Epub ahead of print]

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Cinnamon May Help PCOS

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome commonly have an excessive increase in insulin after eating a meal containing carbohydrates. The excessive insulin causes a multitude of problems and throws other hormones into disarray.

We don't recommend eating any starchy refined carbohydrate foods such as baked goods, breakfast cereal, white rice, etc. These foods cause a big uptick in blood sugar levels, which triggers an over-response of insulin.

However, if you do eat such foods, you could add cinnamon. A recent study from Malmo University Hospital in Sweden has shown that consuming at least 3 grams of cinnamon with a carbohydrate meal dampens the insulin response after the meal is consumed.

If sprinkling 3 grams of cinnamon on your food does not appeal to you, you could take a high potency cinnamon extract instead. Or, cinnamon can be made as a tea, 1 teaspoon per cup. The tea can be added to curries, or stirred into a smoothie. You can purchase empty gelatin caps and fill them with inexpensive but effective bulk cinnamon while you watch TV or otherwise relax.

Source:
Hlebowicz J et al, Effects of 1 and 3 g cinnamon on gastric emptying, satiety, and postprandial blood glucose, insulin, glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, glucagon-like peptide 1, and ghrelin concentrations in healthy subjects, Am J Clin Nutr, 2009; 89(3): 815-21

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Cinnamon Reduces Insulin Resistance, Offers Multiple Benefits

Insulin resistance is a disorder of the hormone insulin that leads to PCOS problems such as infertility, weight gain, hair problems, acne, and much increased risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.

So if you can reduce insulin resistance, you have taken a giant step toward solving your PCOS problems.

Cinnamon may help you in this effort.

The US Dept. of Agriculture recently released a report extolling the virtues of cinnamon extract.

The article said: "Human studies involving control subjects and subjects with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and polycystic ovary syndrome all show beneficial effects of whole cinnamon and/or aqueous extracts of cinnamon on glucose [blood sugar], insulin, insulin sensitivity, lipids [blood fats], antioxidant status, blood pressure, lean body mass, and gastric emptying."

In addition, the article suggested that cinnamon may possibly reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's and cancer.

The researchers concluded: "In summary, components of cinnamon may be important in the alleviation and prevention of the signs and symptoms of metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular and related diseases." This is relevant to you because PCOS has characteristics similar to metabolic syndrome, and it carries a higher risk of developing diabetes.

Source:
Qin B et al, Cinnamon: potential role in the prevention of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes., J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2010 May 1;4(3):685-93

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