Researchers from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences have found that cinnamon may help reduce blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels in people with stage 1 high blood pressure.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, occurs when the force of blood against the walls of the arteries stays too high over time.
This puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Blood pressure is measured using two numbers: systolic pressure, which is the pressure when the heart pumps blood, and diastolic pressure, which is the pressure when the heart rests between beats.
For most adults, a normal blood pressure reading is below 120/80 mm Hg. Stage 1 high blood pressure is defined as a systolic reading between 130 and 139 mm Hg or a diastolic reading between 80 and 89 mm Hg.
Cinnamon is a natural spice made from the bark of trees in the Cinnamomum family.
It has long been used in traditional medicine, and previous research has suggested possible health benefits, including improving blood sugar control and fighting infections. However, its effects on blood pressure have not been well understood.
In this study, participants with stage 1 high blood pressure were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group received a daily capsule containing 1,500 milligrams of cinnamon for 90 days, while the other group received a placebo.
At the start of the study and again after 90 days, researchers measured the participants’ blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and fasting blood sugar.
At the beginning of the trial, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or other risk factors.
After 90 days, standard office blood pressure readings did not show a large difference between the two groups. However, when researchers looked at more detailed 24-hour blood pressure monitoring, important changes became clear.
The group taking cinnamon showed a significant decrease in average daytime systolic blood pressure over 24 hours.
In addition, the improvement in systolic blood pressure during the day was much greater in the cinnamon group compared to the placebo group. This suggests that cinnamon may have a real effect on reducing blood pressure throughout daily activities.
While fasting blood sugar levels remained unchanged, the cinnamon group also showed a meaningful increase in “good” HDL cholesterol and a significant decrease in “bad” LDL cholesterol compared to those taking the placebo.
Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that cinnamon may help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels in people with stage 1 hypertension. They suggest that cinnamon could be considered as a complementary, or supportive, treatment alongside lifestyle changes and medical care.
The study was published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine and conducted by Fatemeh Shirzad and her colleagues.
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