Cinnamon and Tabata training in overweight soldiers
What it found
In overweight and obese soldiers, eight weeks of Tabata training plus cinnamon capsules improved body fat, blood sugar, insulin, liver enzymes and inflammation more than either alone.
The control group saw no changes.
What they found
Studies in people
Body fat and weight
Body mass, BMI and body fat percentage dropped in all three active groups. The biggest fat loss was in the Tabata plus cinnamon group, which lost 7.86% body fat, more than Tabata alone.
Fitness performance
Push-ups, squats, plank time and vertical jump improved in the Tabata and Tabata plus cinnamon groups. There was no difference between these two groups.
Blood sugar and insulin
Fasting blood sugar, insulin and HOMA-IR fell in all three active groups. The largest reductions were in the Tabata plus cinnamon group.
Liver enzymes
Liver enzymes SGOT, SGPT and GGT decreased in all three active groups. The greatest drops were in the Tabata plus cinnamon group.
Inflammation markers
CRP and TNF-alpha dropped, while adiponectin and irisin rose in all three active groups. The Tabata plus cinnamon group had the biggest changes.
Control group
The control group showed no significant changes in any measure.
What the authors conclude
“Tabata training resulted in synergistically effect on performance, body composition, metabolic-inflammation markers, and liver enzyme function in overweight and obese individuals.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say Tabata training had a synergistic effect on performance, body composition, metabolic and inflammation markers, and liver enzyme function in overweight and obese individuals.
- They add that cinnamon supplementation as an ergogenic aid boosted the beneficial effects seen.
How it was done
The authors wanted to see if combining Tabata training with cinnamon supplements could help overweight and obese soldiers, who are at risk of metabolic and heart problems.
40 overweight and obese soldiers were split into four groups: Tabata training, Tabata plus cinnamon, cinnamon alone, and a control group. They took 500 mg cinnamon capsules three times a day for eight weeks, with training three times a week.
What it can’t tell you
- This was a small study of 40 soldiers, so the results may not apply to other groups or settings.
- The study did not use a placebo, so people knew whether they were taking cinnamon.
- The eight-week period is short, so it cannot show whether the effects would last longer.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
- Authors work at
- Imam Ali Military University, Iran; University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Iran
The paper
- Title
- The combined effects of Tabata training and cinnamon supplementation on metabolic changes and body composition in soldiers with overweight or obesity
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Sabzevari Rad R, Omidi H, Alipour M (2025). The combined effects of Tabata training and cinnamon supplementation on metabolic changes and body composition in soldiers with overweight or obesity. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2564237Free full textPubMed 40970779DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error