A recent American study found that cinnamon may help control blood sugar in people with pre-diabetes, thus slowing the progression of the condition to type 2 diabetes.

The study was conducted by researchers led by Dr. Giulio Romeo, from the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, and published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

And "pre-diabetes" (Prediabetes) condition means that the blood sugar level of the person is less than diagnosed with diabetes, but at the same time higher than the normal level. If not dealt with, the person will develop type 2 diabetes within 10 years or less.

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs due to the occurrence of resistance to the hormone insulin - responsible for the introduction of glucose into cells - which leads to its accumulation and rise in the blood, and leads to major complications on the patient's health.

The seriousness of the "pre-diabetes" condition comes from the fact that it usually leads - if it is not handled appropriately - to developing type 2 diabetes, which exposes the person to his complications such as blindness, amputation, heart disease, high cholesterol and stroke.

The normal level of blood sugar in examining fasting sugar (blood sugar level after 8 hours of fasting) is less than 100 milligrams per deciliter, and in the pre-diabetes case it is from one hundred to 125 milligrams per deciliter, but when it is 126 milligrams per deciliter, a person The person has diabetes.

Reducing the development of the condition

"We are looking for safe and effective ways to limit the development of pre-diabetes to type 2 diabetes," said Dr. Romeo C.C.

The study included 51 people with high blood sugar, and spanned over 12 weeks.

Participants were divided into two groups, the first received cinnamon supplements, at 500 milligrams of cinnamon 3 times daily. While the second group received placebo.

The results showed a decrease in blood sugar levels in the group that received cinnamon supplements for 12 weeks. The researchers said longer and larger studies should address the effects of cinnamon.

Although it is not clear how cinnamon affects, but it may work by increasing the sensitivity of the cells to the hormone insulin, which helps it to do its job and enter glucose from the bloodstream into the cells, and thus reduce and not rise.

Insulin is a hormone that helps the body use glucose for energy, and is produced by beta cells in the pancreas.

The pancreas is an organ located between the stomach and spine. The pancreas secretes insulin into the bloodstream after a person has eaten, in response to high blood sugar.

Cinnamon benefits

On the other hand, cinnamon has many benefits, including:

  • Rich in antioxidants that protect the body from damage caused by free radicals, which are substances that are produced in the body and play a role in the development of aging and cancer.
  • It has anti-inflammatory properties.
  • Cinnamon may reduce your risk of heart disease, as it reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
  • Cancer risk may be reduced, based on animal studies.

In conclusion, we affirm here that cinnamon is not a treatment for diabetes or any disease, and it is not a substitute for a healthy diet and exercise, and to take the treatments prescribed by the doctor.

Consult your doctor and ask if cinnamon may help you suit your health status.