- With Mayo Clinic endocrinologist
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
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Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Dr. Maria Collazo-Clavell is board certified in internal medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. She is a consultant in the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism & Nutrition at Mayo Clinic and an assistant professor at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.
The Aibonito, Puerto Rico, native has been with Mayo Clinic since 1994.
She is a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the American College of Endocrinology, the American Diabetes Association and The Endocrine Society.
Dr. Collazo-Clavell is medical editor for the Web site's diabetes content and the book "Mayo Clinic on Managing Diabetes." Her clinical interests include management of type 1 and type 2 diabetes, obesity and nutritional disorders.
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Question
Diabetes treatment: Can cinnamon lower blood sugar?
Is it true that cinnamon can lower blood sugar in people who have diabetes?
Answer
from Maria Collazo-Clavell, M.D.
Whether cinnamon can lower blood sugar is a topic of debate — but most research suggests that cinnamon isn't an effective treatment for type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
In one preliminary 2006 study, cinnamon extract seemed to lower blood sugar in people who have type 2 diabetes. However, other studies haven't confirmed these results. Likewise, cinnamon doesn't appear to improve hemoglobin A1C levels — a reflection of average blood sugar level for the past two to three months — or cholesterol levels. At this point, it seems unlikely that cinnamon could play any role in diabetes treatment.
If you have diabetes, remember that treatment is a lifelong commitment of blood sugar monitoring, healthy eating, regular exercise and, sometimes, diabetes medications or insulin therapy. Consult your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your diabetes treatment plan.
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