Diabetology International

, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp 124–132 | Cite as

Effect of cinnamon supplementation on glucose, lipids levels, glomerular filtration rate, and blood pressure of subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus

  • Chintana Sengsuk
  • Sawitra Sanguanwong
  • Orathai Tangvarasittichai
  • Surapon Tangvarasittichai
Original Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed to investigate the effect of cinnamon supplementation on glucose, triglyceride (TG), and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, TG/HDL-C ratio, blood pressure (BP), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for ninety-nine type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Forty nine (49) patients with T2DM were in the cinnamon group whereas 50 were in the placebo group. All participants received either a cinnamon or placebo capsule daily for the 60-day study period. At the end of the study, median glucose, TG, TG/HDL-C ratio, and BP were significantly decreased (p < 0.005) whereas HDL-C and eGFR levels were significantly increased (p < 0.005) in the cinnamon supplementation group. Interestingly, the study also revealed reduction of HbA1c levels after the 60-day study period. In the placebo group, glucose, TG levels tended to increase and HDL-C levels tended to decrease whereas systolic and diastolic BP, HbA1c, and BUN CT were significantly increased and eGFR was significantly reduced (p < 0.005). Cinnamon supplementation reduced plasma glucose, HbA1c, triglyceride, TG/HDL-C ratio, and BP and increased HDL-C levels and eGFR in subjects with T2DM. Cinnamon supplementation may be beneficial for those with T2DM to prevent and control diabetic complications.

Keywords

Type 2 diabetes mellitus Cinnamon Glucose TG/HDL-C ratio Blood pressure Estimated glomerular filtration rate 

Abbreviation

T2DM

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Glu

Glucose

BUN

Blood urea nitrogen

CT

Creatinine

HbA1c

Hemoglobin A1c

TC

Total cholesterol

TG

Triglycerides

HDL-C

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol

LDL-C

Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol

TG/HDL-C ratio

Triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio

eGFR

Estimated glomerular filtration rate

BP

Blood pressure

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Notes

Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank Naresuan University for financial support. We also want to specially thank those who participated and donated blood samples for this study. Finally, we sincerely thank Assistant Professor Dr Ronald A. Markwardt, Faculty of Public Health, Burapha University, for his critical reading and correction of the manuscript.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics policy

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and later versions. Informed consent or a substitute for it was obtained from all patients before inclusion in the study.

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Copyright information

© The Japan Diabetes Society 2015

Authors and Affiliations

  • Chintana Sengsuk
    • 1
  • Sawitra Sanguanwong
    • 2
  • Orathai Tangvarasittichai
    • 1
  • Surapon Tangvarasittichai
    • 1
  1. 1.Chronic Diseases Research Unit, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Allied Health SciencesNaresuan UniversityPhitsanulokThailand
  2. 2.Diabetes Care ClinicLadyao HospitalNakonsawanThailand

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