Cinnamon Positively Impacts Metabolic Status of Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

by | Oct 10, 2018 | 2018, Cinnamon, Women's Health

Written by Angeline A. De Leon, Staff Writer. Eight weeks of supplementation with 500 mgs of cinnamon significantly improved anthropometric measures, glucose metabolism, serum lipids but did not impact adiponectin levels in the participating subjects with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

botanicals - cinnamonPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder affecting the endocrine and reproductive systems in women of child-bearing age. Symptoms may include menstrual irregularity, high levels of androgen (male sex hormones), and the presence of cysts on the ovaries, but can also involve changes in metabolic function 1. For example, PCOS is associated with abdominal obesity, impaired glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance (IR), all of which increase patient risk for diabetes and atherosclerosis 2. Research indicates that low levels of circulating adiponectin, a protein hormone secreted by adipose tissue with antidiabetic, insulin-sensitizing effects 3, are also associated with PCOS 4. While typical treatment regimens for PCOS include insulin sensitizing agents, the most widely used drugs in PCOS are often poorly tolerated because of gastrointestinal side effects 5,6. Animal studies indicate that cinnamon, the polyphenols of which mimic insulin 7, may serve as an alternative means of improving lipid and glucose metabolism in both healthy and diabetic patients 8. Only a handful of pilot studies have investigated the impact of cinnamon supplementation on IR in women with PCOS, and trials have generally yielded mixed results 6. In a 2018 study 9 published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers evaluated the effects of cinnamon supplementation on various parameters of metabolic status, including serum insulin, lipid profile, and adiponectin levels in women with PCOS.

In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, a total of 84 patients (aged 20-38 years) with a diagnosis of PCOS and a body mass index (BMI) of 25-40 kg/m2 were enrolled as participants. Subjects were matched for age and BMI and then randomized to receive 1500 mg cinnamon or identical placebo daily for eight weeks. Prior to and following the intervention period, anthropometric assessments were made and fasting blood samples collected in order to determine levels of serum adiponectin, insulin, and glucose, as well as measures of insulin resistance and serum lipid profile.

Analyses revealed that at the end of the treatment period, individuals in the cinnamon group, compared to placebo, displayed significant improvements in serum fasting blood glucose (84.3 vs. 99.6 mg/dL, respectively), insulin (14.9 vs. 15.9 µIU/dL), insulin resistance (based on the homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance) (3.15 vs. 3.92), total cholesterol (169.2 vs. 173 mg/dL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (105 vs. 108 mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (44.6 vs. 41 mg/dL), and body weight (76.1 vs. 77.7 kg) (p < 0.05 for all). From baseline to Week 8, serum triglyceride and body mass index also significantly declined in the cinnamon group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). No meaningful changes were observed in serum adiponectin across all participants.

Based on study findings, the anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, and anti-glycemic properties of cinnamon appear to benefit women with PCOS. Short-term supplementation with cinnamon was associated with improved lipid profile as well, although no changes in adiponectin levels were observed. Limitations of the study included its short 8-week study duration and fixed cinnamon dose. Because this study was limited to patients with a higher BMI, it would be important for future studies to replicate findings in PCOS patients of normal and/or lower relative weight. Additional studies of longer duration are also warranted to determine optimal levels of cinnamon intake for maximum improvement of metabolic and androgen status.

Source: Borzoei A, Rafraf M, Asghari-Jafarabadi M. Cinnamon improves metabolic factors without detectable effects on adiponectin in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2018; 27(3): 556-563.

 Posted October 10, 2018

Angeline A. De Leon, MA, graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010, completing a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a concentration in neuroscience. She received her master’s degree from The Ohio State University in 2013, where she studied clinical neuroscience within an integrative health program. Her specialized area of research involves the complementary use of neuroimaging and neuropsychology-based methodologies to examine how lifestyle factors, such as physical activity and meditation, can influence brain plasticity and enhance overall connectivity.

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