Effects of short-term cinnamon ingestion on in vivo glucose tolerance

  1. T. P. J. Solomon,
  2. A. K. Blannin*

Article first published online: 8 FEB 2007

DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2006.00694.x

Issue

Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Volume 9, Issue 6, pages 895–901, November 2007

Additional Information

How to Cite

Solomon, T. P. J. and Blannin, A. K. (2007), Effects of short-term cinnamon ingestion on in vivo glucose tolerance. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 9: 895–901. doi: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2006.00694.x

Author Information

  1. School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

*Andrew K. Blannin, Exercise Metabolism Research Group, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. E-mail: a.k.blannin@bham.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 8 FEB 2007
  2. Article first published online: 8 FEB 2007
  3. Received 30 June 2006; returned for revision 4 November 2006; revised version accepted 6 November 2006

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Keywords:

  • cinnamon;
  • diabetes;
  • diet;
  • glucose;
  • glycaemic control;
  • insulin sensitivity;
  • OGTT

Aims:  Various spices display insulin-potentiating activity in vitro, and in particular, cinnamon spice and its phenolic extracts have been shown to exhibit these capabilities. In vivo study shows that cinnamon may have beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis; therefore the aim of this study was to further investigate this phenomenon in humans.

Methods:  Seven lean healthy male volunteers, aged 26 ± 1 years, body mass index 24.5 ± 0.3 kg/m2 (mean ± s.e.m.), underwent three oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) supplemented with either a 5 g placebo (OGTTcontrol), 5 g of cinnamon (OGTTcin), or 5 g of cinnamon taken 12 h before (OGTTcin12hpre) in a randomized-crossover design.

Results:  Cinnamon ingestion reduced total plasma glucose responses (AUC) to oral glucose ingestion [−13% and −10% for OGTTcin (p < 0.05) and OGTTcin12hpre (p < 0.05), respectively], as well as improving insulin sensitivity as assessed by insulin sensitivity index measures based on Matsuda’s model in both OGTTcin (p < 0.05) and OGTTcin12hpre (p < 0.05) trials compared with OGTTcontrol.

Conclusions:  These data illustrate that cinnamon spice supplementation may be important to in vivo glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity in humans, and not only are its effects immediate, they also appear to be sustained for 12 h.

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