CINNAMON; Nutraceutical Supplement for Heart Health
Cinnamon is a potent nutraceutical agent for heart health.
The main components of cinnamon are Cinnamaldehyde, Cinnamic acid, Cinnamate, and Eugenol.
Therapeutic effects
According to traditional medicine in Iran and India, cinnamon is warm and dry and improves coughing, shortness of breath, and thick phlegm.
It’s a sedative for stomachaches, live and postpartum pain, and a kidney stimulant for urinary retention, relieving fever and reducing joint and back pain. Cinnamon accelerates blood flow, stimulates respiration and digestion, and increases most of the body’s secretions.
Cholesterol and Triglyceride
Cinnamon is an anti-clotting agent and prevents atherosclerosis (accumulation of plaque in arteries).
High cholesterol is considered a contributing factor to heart diseases, such as atherosclerosis. Cinnamon is an anti-atherosclerotic treatment that reduces high cholesterol and insulin resistance, stabilize blood sugar, and maintains LDL.
Blood-Pressure
Cinnamon consumption lowers blood pressure. Because cinnamaldehyde dilates blood vessels and helps relieve the tension due to blood pressure. Ingesting 6 g of cinnamon daily lowers triglyceride and total cholesterol in type 2 diabetes.
Cinnamon can help reduce inflammation that is triggered by obesity. The removal of excess weight is helpful for heart health.
Cardiovascular system
Using cinnamon extract capsules (250 mg/kg body weight) in type 2 diabetes patients for two months reduced Total Cholesterol, HDL, and LDL.
The consumption of cardamom (3 g), cinnamon (3 g), ginger (3 g), and saffron (1 g) for eight weeks reduced HDL and LDL in type 2 diabetic patients. But in another study, using cinnamon extract (500 mg/kg body weight) for one year in pre-diabetic patients had no beneficial effect in improving Electrocardiogram indicators. Cinnamon increases total antioxidant power by reducing lipid peroxidation. 100 mg/kg body weight cinnamon for two weeks had significant antioxidant ability in reducing the complications related to oxidative stress and increased total antioxidant power by reducing lipid peroxidation. The consumption of 500 mg cinnamon /kg body weight in type 2 diabetes patients for two months reduced blood sugar and lipid. Using turmeric, chili pepper, and cinnamon on patients with CVDs and anchoring for 11 years showed that cinnamon, did not affect blood lipids and CVDs.
Daily consumption of 1 g cinnamon powder /kg body weight) for 16 months in male type, two diabetes patients reduced the diabetes complications. Another study declared that cinnamon (1 g per day) for three months lowered blood pressure in diabetic patients.
Type-2 diabetes
Cinnamon is helpful in managing by different mechanisms, including managing the glucose that enters the bloodstream and mimicking the blood sugar hormone, which
may have a moderate effect on lowering fasting blood sugar in diabetes.
Cinnamon can also keep blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.
Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Cinnamon reduces the production of the inflammatory molecule thromboxane A2 in patients suffering from heart diseases. Also, cinnamon’s anti-inflammatory properties prevent the release of arachidonic acid (inflammatory fatty acid) when arachidonic acid promotes plaque formation of the arteries if it is related to the platelet’s membranes.
Antioxidants
The daily intake of antioxidants is essential for heart health. Cinnamon is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants, which are anti-inflammatory and help decrease heart diseases.
Anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal
Cinnamon has many medicinal and soothing properties, as cinnamaldehyde shows anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties.
Gut health
Some spices, including cinnamon, have prebiotic properties that may help restore the balance of bacteria in the gut and improve digestive issues.
Daily Dosage
Cinnamon is generally safe when used in small amounts; no more than one teaspoon per day is safe for most adults, with less for children.
Usually, it’s used for about 1 -6g, depending on the height and weight. Since cassia cinnamon contains higher coumarin (5.8 to 12.1 mg per one teaspoon) than Ceylon cinnamon, so should reduce its intake.
Less than 1/8 teaspoon could be enough for some people; for others, it will be up to 2 1/2 teaspoons.
Conclusion
Cinnamon has an influential role in preventing and treating CVDs by lowering blood lipids and blood pressure and improving the oxidants: antioxidants balance.
References
- Michel J, Abd Rani NZ, Husain K. A review on the potential use of medicinal plants from Asteraceae and Lamiaceae plant family in cardiovascular diseases. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2020; 11:852.
- Shabab S, Gholamnezhad Z, Mahmoudabady M. Protective effects of medicinal plant against diabetes-induced cardiac disorder: A review. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2021; 265:113328.
- Mehrpouri M, Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M. [Cinnamon inhibits platelet function and improves cardiovascular system (Persian)]. Journal of Medicinal Plants. 2020; 19(73):1-11.
- Azimi P, Ghiasvand R, Feizi A, Hariri M, Abbasi B. Effects of cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, and ginger consumption on markers of glycemic control, lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation in type 2 diabetes patients. The Review of Diabetic Studies: RDS. 2014; 11(3-4):258-66.
- Zamani T, Shahmerzadi FE, Zarrin R. The effect of oral supplementation of cinnamon on weight loss and blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics. 2017; 3(1).
- Badalzadeh R, Shaghaghi M, Mohammadi M, Dehghan G, Mohammadi Z. The effect of cinnamon extract and long-term aerobic training on heart function, biochemical alterations and lipid profile following exhaustive exercise in male rats. Advanced Pharmaceutical Bulletin. 2014; 4(S 2):515-20.
- Rosado J. A study to determine the effects of cinnamon on blood glucose and lipid levels in persons with type-2 diabetes [Ph.D. Dissertation]. United States: the University of Hawaii at Manoa; 2010.
- Shirzad F, Morovatdar N, Rezaee R, Tsarouhas K, Abdollahi Moghaddam A. Cinnamon effects on blood pressure and metabolic profile: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in patients with stage 1 hypertension. Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine. 2021; 11(1):91-100. [PMCID]
- https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/diet-nutrition/a19907/cinnamon-benefits/
- https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/health-benefits-cinnamon
- https://iccli.com/2019/02/28/is-cinnamon-good-for-your-heart/
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