Cinnamon and its potential health effects in lab and animal studies
What it found
Lab and animal tests suggest cinnamon may lower blood sugar, fight inflammation, and act like insulin.
Very few well-controlled studies in people exist to confirm these effects.
What they found
Studies in people
Type 2 diabetes in people
Using cinnamon alongside standard care for type 2 diabetes looks like the most promising area. However, very few well-controlled human trials exist so far.
Animal and lab studies
Blood sugar and insulin
In cell tests, cinnamon appeared to copy insulin, boost its activity, or help cells use sugar. Animal studies showed strong blood sugar lowering effects.
Other health effects
Lab and animal tests suggest cinnamon may reduce inflammation, kill microbes, act as an antioxidant, slow tumors, support the heart, lower cholesterol, and affect immunity.
What the authors conclude
- They note that using cinnamon alongside standard treatments for type 2 diabetes shows the most promise.
- They say more research is needed before firm advice can be given.
- The authors point out that the lack of well-controlled human trials limits what can be concluded about benefits for everyday people.
How it was done
People have used cinnamon as a flavoring and a traditional plant remedy for hundreds of years. Scientists wanted to gather what is known about its possible health effects.
The authors gathered and examined existing lab tests on cells and studies done in animals. They also looked at the small number of clinical trials done in people.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- Most of the evidence comes from cells and animals.
- These results cannot show what happens when people eat cinnamon.
- There are too few well-controlled human trials to draw firm conclusions about health benefits in people.
The paper
- Title
- Cinnamon and health
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Gruenwald J, Freder J, Armbruester N (2010). Cinnamon and health. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. doi:10.1080/10408390902773052PubMed 20924865DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error