A new study suggests that cinnamon may help stabilize blood sugar levels in people with prediabetes, potentially slowing the progression to type 2 diabetes. The findings, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, offer a promising natural approach to managing blood sugar.
Why This Matters
Prediabetes affects nearly 90 million people in the United States. It occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Without intervention, many people with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes, which can lead to serious health problems like heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney disease.
Finding effective ways to prevent or delay diabetes is critical, but it remains a challenge. Researchers are constantly exploring lifestyle changes and dietary supplements that could help manage blood sugar levels before the condition worsens.
How Cinnamon Helps Blood Sugar Control
The 12-week clinical trial involved 51 participants with prediabetes. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either 500 mg cinnamon capsules or a placebo three times per day.
At the end of the study, researchers found that those who took cinnamon experienced:
- Lower fasting blood sugar levels, meaning their bodies were better able to regulate glucose overnight.
- Improved response to carbohydrates, which suggests better insulin sensitivity after meals.
- No significant side effects, showing that cinnamon was safe and well tolerated.
Dr. Giulio R. Romeo, the study’s lead author from Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston, believes the results are encouraging. “These findings provide a strong reason to conduct longer and larger studies to see if cinnamon can actually reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes over time,” he said.
What This Means for You
While this study suggests that cinnamon could be a useful addition to a healthy diet for people with prediabetes, it is not a replacement for proven lifestyle changes like exercise, weight management, and a balanced diet. However, because cinnamon is safe and widely available, it may be a helpful supplement for those looking to improve blood sugar control naturally.
More research is needed to confirm whether long-term cinnamon use can significantly reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But for now, these findings suggest that a simple spice might offer big benefits for millions of people at risk.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about bananas and diabetes, and honey could help control blood sugar.
For more health information, please see recent studies about Vitamin D that may reduce dangerous complications in diabetes and results showing plant-based protein foods may help reverse type 2 diabetes.
The research findings can be found in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
