Cinnamon Extract May Help Reduce Risk Of Diabetes And Heart Disease

U.S. researchers have found that an antioxidant-rich extract of cinnamon might prove helpful in cutting the risk of diabetes and heart disease among obese or overweight people. The 12-week study was conducted among obese volunteers whose blood glucose values were impaired, a condition known as "prediabetes" that happens when cells resist higher levels of insulin produced by the pancreas when blood sugar rises. Two groups of volunteers received either a placebo or 250 milligrams of a dried water-soluble cinnamon extract twice daily with their normal diet. Blood was then collected after 12 weeks to measure any changes in blood glucose and antioxidants. The study found that the cinnamon extract improved several antioxidant variables by as much as 13 to 23 percent, which correlated with decreases in fasting glucose.