Cinnamon and blood sugar and fats in people
What it found
In people with type 2 diabetes, cinnamon lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c in some studies, but its effect on blood fats was unclear.
Most studies lasted 6 to 17 weeks.
What they found
Studies in people
Blood sugar in people
In people with type 2 diabetes, fasting blood glucose dropped by 12.9 to 52.2 mg/dL. HbA1c fell by 0.27 to 0.83%.
Insulin in people
Serum insulin decreased in a few studies.
Blood fats in people
The effect on blood fats was more controversial than the effect on blood sugar.
Fat mass and antioxidants
Cinnamon has been claimed to reduce fat mass and raise serum antioxidants, but the studies used inaccurate methods.
Other findings
Cinnamon species studied
Two species were studied most: C. cassia/aromaticum and C. zeylanicum/verum.
What the authors conclude
“About 1-6 g of these cinnamon species mainly in powder seems to be an adjunct drug treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus and other conditions of glycemic impairment.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that about 1 to 6 g of these cinnamon species, mainly in powder, seems to be an adjunct drug treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus and other conditions of glycemic impairment.
- They state that more controlled clinical trials are needed.
How it was done
Cinnamon is used in cooking and by some people in large amounts as a supplement, with claims that it lowers blood sugar and blood fats. The authors wanted to review the evidence and give clinical recommendations.
They searched electronic databases for human studies published between 2003 and 2018, using the scientific and common names of cinnamon. They focused on studies in people.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This is a review of human studies, so it cannot show cause and effect.
- The studies varied in how they were done, so the results may not apply to everyone.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- Federal University of Uberlandia (UFU), Brazil; Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UNIRIO), Brazil
The paper
- Title
- To what extent does cinnamon administration improve the glycemic and lipid profiles?
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Santos HO, da Silva GAR (2018). To what extent does cinnamon administration improve the glycemic and lipid profiles?. Clinical nutrition ESPEN. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.07.011PubMed 30144878DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error