Is cinnamon helping you fight cholesterol in your blood. How to use it?

Answer 1

No, at least not purposely. But I did find several articles published in the last two years which suggest it might (as you've evidently heard), though research is considered "preliminary" in two of the three articles (qv).

The Boston Globe, in August 2004, reported that a small 2003 study made cinnamon's cholesterol-lowering benefits look promising. The study lasted only 40 days and involved 30 men and 30 women in Pakistan who have Type 2 diabetes. They found that 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon twice a day significantly lowered LDL, and total cholesterol, not to mention blood sugar and triglycerides.

Citing the same study, Dr. Andrew Weil said, "...the study in question was small and its findings need to be confirmed before we can start recommending cinnamon to patients." He adds that the study showed 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon daily, divided into two doses (so between a quarter of a teaspoon to 1 teaspoon a day), lowered LDL cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by 12 to 26 percent.

Dr. Frank Sacks, a physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and professor of nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in the Globe article that cinnamon is "a lot less effective than statins, which have been tested rigorously on 70,000 people for several years.

Both articles also point out that cinnamon is thought to be toxic at high-enough doses (which apparently aren't yet known). One such caution was given by Richard Anderson, one of the study's researchers. He works at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center in Maryland, part of the US Department of Agriculture, who conducted the study in Pakistan. And for the same reason, Dr. Weil says, "don't assume that if the relatively small amounts used in the study help, larger amounts will work better."

A little closer to the source (quoting the Department of Human Nutrition, NWFP Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan):
"The results of this study demonstrate that intake of 1, 3, or 6 g of cinnamon per day reduces ... LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes and suggest that the inclusion of cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases." (I left out the parts unrelated to cholesterol, but you can see them at my link.)

Melinda Maryniuk, a senior dietician at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston said cinnamon probably "can't harm in small doses, it may help and it's not adding calories."

But addressing your "how to use it?" question again (besides the doses mentioned)... it may be common sense, but Alice Lichtenstein, a professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, warns not to use the good news about cinnamon to indulge regularly in cinnamon buns or muffins, since gaining weight would be worse for your health than not eating cinnamon. :-) Bummer.

And Dr. Weil concludes that although more study is needed, in the meantime "there's no harm in sprinkling cinnamon on your oatmeal or using it in cooking."

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

Yes, I use cinnamon for this purpose. I drink cinnamon tea. I put 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the cup, add a cinnamon stick and enjoy. It seems to have helped. Statistics say it will reduce blood sugar and cholestrol up to 20%.

Answer 5

Is hot chocolate bad for our kidney's?