|
|
|
Aloe Vera - Is It Just A Laxative (Part II)?
This is the concluding segment of my two-part (Aloe Vera - Is It
Just A Laxative?) article on the Aloe Vera plant which for many
years was erroneously regarded as no more than a powerful
laxative. Aloe Vera in actual fact is one of Nature's...
Blood Pressure: An Overview
What is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure is a measurement of the pressure exerted by the circulating blood on the walls of the arteries, veins and chambers of the heart. The pressure of blood is measured in the context of systolic and diastolic...
Coconut Oil Diets
Have you heard about coconut oil diets yet? People are adding
coconut oil to their diets and are getting incredible results.
They are losing weight, increasing their energy, and getting
healthier.
For centuries people have been using...
Fast Weight Loss Programs – The importance of low body-fat levels!
My name is Greg Ryan and I am a high profile fitness expert. In twenty years of being a personal trainer and health club consultant, I am frightened at how fast the health of Americans is deteriorating. You are being eaten alive from the inside...
Mesotherapy vs. Cellulite For A Knockout
In the battle to look good, there’s a cosmetic treatment that is going a few rounds with cellulite and small fatty deposits. Mesotherapy is knocking out fat and rejuvenating skin in people who give it a try. Chances are you’re doing...
Startling New Evidence: You Can Slow the Aging Process, Scientists Say
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging, and live healthier longer, simply by eating certain foods? U.S. Government scientists now say it’s possible.
Floyd P. Horn, then Administrator of the scientific research arm of the USDA,...
The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle
The Importance of Nutrition and Lifestyle Eating healthy and taking care of yourself is essential to obtain optimal wellness. Most people roll their eyes or moan when confronted with these ideas, but, in reality, taking care of yourself is not as...
What is Your Healthy Body Weight?
Everywhere we look in the western world we are inundated with pictures, images, icons and inferences of the 'perfect' female shape! The truth is that many of these images are altered or enhanced in some way and do not depict the typical...
Why should I lose weight?
Carrying around extra pounds can be detrimental to your health. If you are considering starting a healthy eating and exercise plan or you have fallen off your diet, this article may motivate you to get in gear. What Extra Weight Can Do to Your...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Is Cinnamon the God Spice for Type II Diabetics?
By Marjet Heitzer, Ph.D.
The Plateau-proof Diet Foundation
Http://www.plateauproofdiet.com
The incidence of Type II diabetes is on the rise in the
United States, and it is directly related to the obesity
epidemic currently occurring in the U.S. This article will
discuss the benefits of dietary consumption of cinnamon on
stabilizing blood glucose levels in persons with Type II
diabetes. However, replacing any current medication with
cinnamon or suspending the use of any medication is not
recommended. Individuals with Type II diabetes should consult
their physician before making any dietary changes.
Given the side effects from drugs commonly used to combat Type
II diabetes, the search for dietary means to stabilize blood
glucose levels in Type II diabetes is a constant quest (1). For
example, some of the potential side effects include: weight
gain, upset stomach, rash, nausea, weakness, dizziness, anemia,
and liver diseases. One class of drugs used for Type II
diabetes, sulfonylureas, induce increased insulin by the
pancreas as well as aid in glucose clearing from the blood.
However, because of the numerous side effects such as low blood
sugar, blurred vision, cold sweats, headache, nausea, and
weakness as well as others, associated with sulfonylureas,
alternative food-based, dietary means of stabilizing blood
glucose in individuals with Type II diabetes would be highly
beneficial.
Cinnamon, derived from the inner bark of Cinnamonum cassia,
Cinnamonum saigonicum, or Cinnamonum zeylanicum as well as
leaves in the form of oil, has long been used by people in
Korea, China, and Russia suffering from Type II diabetes. There
are a number of ways in which cinnamon consumption is thought to
affect Type II diabetes, including increasing insulin
sensitivity by increasing plasma insulin levels and possibly by
mimicking insulin itself (2, 3).
A key study performed by Khan et al. addressed the potential
use of cinnamon as a treatment for Type II diabetes (4). The
individuals recruited for this test were diagnosed with Type II
diabetes, over the age of 40, and currently not taking insulin.
Furthermore, their fasting blood glucose was between 140-400
mg/dl. At the beginning of the study, blood glucose,
triglyceride, and serum cholesterol levels were measured for
each participant. Then, study participants received capsules
containing either cinnamon derived from Cinnamonum cassia or
wheat flour (placebo controls) and were instructed to take 1, 3,
or 6 grams each day for 40 days. Again blood glucose,
triglyceride, and serum cholesterol levels were measured after
20 days and 40 days in addition to 20 days after the
participants ceased taking the capsules. This study showed that
cinnamon consumption in any amount for 20 or 40 days decreased
blood glucose levels 18-30% as well as triglycerides and serum
cholesterol (13-26%). Importantly, LDL (bad cholesterol) was
reduced by 10-24% in participants consuming cinnamon while HDL
(good cholesterol) was unaffected.
In order to determine the long term effects of cinnamon intake
on stabilizing blood glucose and serum cholesterol levels, final
measurements were taken 20 days after finishing the cinnamon
capsules. Interestingly, blood glucose levels remained lowered
20 days after the cinnamon treatment. Furthermore, lowered serum
triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL were observed in
participants that consumed the cinnamon 20 days later. Because
the beneficial effects of cinnamon were sustained long after its
consumption, it may not be necessary to consume cinnamon daily
to receive its benefits. Importantly, subjects that took the
wheat flour
capsules did not have any change in blood glucose or
lipid profiles, indicating that the beneficial effects obtained
from the cinnamon capsules is specific. The one drawback from
this study is that there were relatively few participants
involved (60 people) and the study time was relatively short.
A follow up study indicated that not all cinnamon extracts are
created equal in stabilizing blood glucose levels in Type II
diabetes. Specifically, Cinnamonum cassia was more effective
than Cinnamonum zeylanicum at increasing insulin levels in the
blood and thereby decreasing blood glucose levels (3).
Furthermore, Cinnamonum cassia was almost as effective at
decreasing blood glucose as glibenclamide, a commonly prescribed
sulfonylurea used in the treatment for Type II diabetes.
Along with improving blood glucose and lipid profiles,
cinnamon intake may also have additional benefits. Because
cinnamon is high in flavinoids, it may also function as an
antioxidant (5). Antioxidants possess anti-carcinogenic
characteristics as well as decrease a person's risk for
developing heart disease. Furthermore, there is some evidence
that cinnamon may have some antibacterial, antidermatophyte,
vasodilative, as well as anti-thrombotic activities, indicating
that cinnamon may also be useful in wound healing and
cardioprotective (6, 7).
Because cinnamon is a seasoning and does not contribute to
caloric intake, consumption of cinnamon is feasible within The
Plateau-Proof Diet. Relatively small amounts of cinnamon
(approximately ˝ tsp) were sufficient to reduce both blood
glucose as well as lipid levels. So, it is not necessary to
purchase and consume cinnamon pills which are commercially
available. Furthermore, because there is no regulation on
dietary supplements, purity is always questionable. Regular
seasoning of meals is sufficient to receive the hypoglycemic
effects of cinnamon.
1. Chitturi S, George J 2002 Hepatotoxicity of commonly
used drugs: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,
antihypertensives, antidiabetic agents, anticonvulsants,
lipid-lowering agents, psychotropic drugs. Semin Liver Dis
22:169-83
2. Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, Anderson RA 2000 Insulin-like
biological activity of culinary and medicinal plant aqueous
extracts in vitro. J Agric Food Chem 48:849-52
3. Verspohl EJ, Bauer K, Neddermann E 2005 Antidiabetic effect
of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum zeylanicum in vivo and in
vitro. Phytother Res 19:203-6
4. Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan MM, Khattak KN, Anderson RA 2003
Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2
diabetes. Diabetes Care 26:3215-8
5. Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, et al. 2004
Isolation and characterization of polyphenol type-A polymers
from cinnamon with insulin-like biological activity. J Agric
Food Chem 52:65-70
6. Kamath JV, Rana AC, Chowdhury AR 2003 Pro-healing effect of
Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark. Phytother Res 17:970-2
7. Qin B, Nagasaki M, Ren M, Bajotto G, Oshida Y, Sato Y 2003
Cinnamon extract (traditional herb) potentiates in vivo
insulin-regulated glucose utilization via enhancing insulin
signaling in rats. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 62:139-48
About the author:
Dr. Marjet Heitzer is a biomedical scientist specialized in
cancer and endocrine research. She is the founding editor of
'Trimming America', the free journal of 'The Plateau-proof Diet
Foundation'. She is a strong proponent of reversing obesity and
some of its comorbidities, including type II diabetes and
hypertension, with a lifestyle change that has healthy dieting
at its core.
Http://www.plateauproofdiet.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
