1 Fasting blood sugar reduction Meta-Analysis 2024
Across 24 RCTs, cinnamon supplementation significantly reduced fasting blood sugar, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c versus control in type 2 diabetes.
The effect of cinnamon supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Moridpour AH et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2024)
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Significant reduction in fasting blood sugar (SMD −1.32; 95% CI −1.77 to −0.87; p<0.001) Significant reduction in HbA1c (SMD −0.67; 95% CI −1.18 to −0.15; p=0.011) Fasting insulin was not significantly changed 2 Meta-Analysis 2025
Cinnamon supplementation improved several metabolic biomarkers in people with type 2 diabetes.
Effects of cinnamon supplementation on metabolic biomarkers in individuals with type 2 diabetes de Moura SL et al. · Nutrition reviews (2025)
Improvements in glycemic and lipid biomarkers reported Effect magnitude varied by dose, form, and trial duration Authors call for standardized, higher-quality trials 3 Meta-Analysis 2013
Cinnamon produced a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose and lipids, though effects on HbA1c were not significant.
Cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis Allen RW et al. · Annals of family medicine (2013)
Significant decrease in fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides No significant effect on HbA1c Effect on glycemic control modest and heterogeneous 4 RCT 2023 In the SPORT trial, common supplements (including cinnamon) did not lower LDL cholesterol more than placebo, while low-dose rosuvastatin did.
Comparative Effects of Low-Dose Rosuvastatin, Placebo, and Dietary Supplements on Lipids and Inflammatory Biomarkers Laffin LJ et al. · Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2023)
Cinnamon and other supplements showed no significant LDL reduction vs placebo Low-dose rosuvastatin reduced LDL ~35% vs placebo Supplements should not replace statins for lipid lowering 5 Meta-Analysis 2019
Cinnamon lowered fasting blood glucose and HbA1c in type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes, with a favourable safety profile in the trials reviewed.
Efficacy and safety of cinnamon in type 2 diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes patients: A meta-analysis and meta-regression Deyno S et al. · Diabetes research and clinical practice (2019)
Significant reduction in fasting blood glucose Reductions in HbA1c, total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides No serious adverse events reported across included trials 6 Meta-Analysis 2017
Cinnamon supplementation significantly reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides.
The effects of cinnamon supplementation on blood lipid concentrations: A systematic review and meta-analysis Maierean SM et al. · Journal of clinical lipidology (2017)
Significant reductions in total cholesterol and triglycerides Trend toward lower LDL No significant change in HDL 7 Meta-Analysis 2020
Cinnamon supplementation modestly reduced body weight and waist circumference, with a dose-response pattern.
Cinnamon supplementation positively affects obesity: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis Mousavi SM et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2020)
Significant reductions in BMI, body weight, waist circumference and body fat Effects more pronounced at higher doses Magnitude of weight effect was modest 8 Meta-Analysis 2012
Cinnamon intake was associated with a statistically significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose.
Cinnamon in glycaemic control: Systematic review and meta analysis Akilen R et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2012)
Significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose No statistically significant change in HbA1c Effects varied with dose and trial length 9 Systematic Review 2022
Cinnamon improved multiple markers across metabolic diseases in a dose-responsive manner.
The beneficial effects of cinnamon among patients with metabolic diseases: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis Kutbi EH et al. · Critical reviews in food science and nutrition (2022)
Favourable effects on glucose, lipids and anthropometric markers Dose-response relationship suggested Quality of underlying trials was variable 10 Meta-Analysis 2016 This Cochrane review found low-quality evidence for several dietary supplements, including cinnamon, in dysmenorrhoea.
Dietary supplements for dysmenorrhoea Pattanittum P et al. · The Cochrane database of systematic reviews (2016)
Some supplements showed possible benefit for menstrual pain Overall evidence quality was low Larger rigorous trials needed 11 Meta-Analysis 2021
Cinnamon supplementation produced small reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
What is the Impact of Cinnamon Supplementation on Blood Pressure? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Ghavami A et al. · Endocrine, metabolic & immune disorders drug targets (2021)
Reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure Effects larger in younger participants and longer trials Clinical significance of the small effect is uncertain 12 Meta-Analysis 2021
Cinnamon supplementation was associated with reductions in liver enzymes (ALT/AST) in the pooled trials.
What is the influence of cinnamon supplementation on liver enzymes? A systematic review and meta-analysis Mousavi SM et al. · Phytotherapy research : PTR (2021)
Reductions in ALT and AST reported Relevant to non-alcoholic fatty liver populations Coumarin content of Cassia remains a separate liver-safety consideration 13 Meta-Analysis 2011
Pooled trials showed cinnamon lowers fasting blood glucose.
Cinnamon intake lowers fasting blood glucose: meta-analysis Davis PA et al. · Journal of medicinal food (2011)
Significant reduction in fasting blood glucose across included trials Both Cassia and Ceylon forms represented Heterogeneity in dose and duration 14 Meta-Analysis 2021
Pooled trials suggested cinnamon may lower liver enzymes in adults.
The effect of cinnamon supplementation on liver enzymes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis Shekarchizadeh-Esfahani P et al. · Complementary therapies in medicine (2021)
Possible reduction in ALT Evidence limited by trial quality and number Findings should be confirmed in dedicated NAFLD trials 15 Meta-Analysis 2024
In women with PCOS, cinnamon improved several cardiovascular-risk and metabolic markers.
Effect of cinnamon as a Chinese herbal medicine on markers of cardiovascular risk in women with polycystic ovary syndrome Xiaomei Z et al. · European journal of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology (2024)
Improvements in insulin resistance and lipid markers in PCOS May support metabolic dimension of PCOS Trial sizes were generally small 16 RCT 2019 Cinnamon supplementation improved fasting glucose and anthropometric measures in type 2 diabetes over the trial.
Efficacy of cinnamon in patients with type II diabetes mellitus: A randomized controlled clinical trial Zare R et al. · Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (2019)
Reduced fasting blood glucose and HbA1c versus placebo Improvements in BMI and waist circumference Well tolerated over the trial period 17 Meta-Analysis 2020
Cinnamon (with fennel and ginger) reduced pain severity in primary dysmenorrhea.
Efficacy of herbal medicine (cinnamon/fennel/ginger) for primary dysmenorrhea: a systematic review and meta-analysis Xu Y et al. · The Journal of international medical research (2020)
Reduced menstrual pain intensity versus placebo Comparable to some conventional analgesics in small trials Evidence quality was low to moderate 18 Meta-Analysis 2023 Dietary polyphenols including cinnamon reduced inflammatory markers in rheumatoid arthritis.
Efficacy and safety of dietary polyphenols in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 47 randomized controlled trials Long Z et al. · Frontiers in immunology (2023)
Reductions in CRP and other inflammatory markers Cinnamon among polyphenol interventions assessed Heterogeneous interventions limit specificity 19 RCT 2022 An aqueous cinnamon extract blunted postprandial glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Effect of Aqueous Cinnamon Extract on the Postprandial Glycemia Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial Rachid AP et al. · Nutrients (2022)
Lower postprandial glucose excursion after cinnamon Acute effect demonstrated in a controlled setting Small sample; needs larger confirmation 20 Systematic Review 2023 Among herbal remedies reviewed for PCOS, cinnamon showed benefits for menstrual regularity and insulin resistance.
Polycystic ovaries and herbal remedies: A systematic review Manouchehri A et al. · JBRA assisted reproduction (2023)
Cinnamon associated with improved menstrual regularity in PCOS Insulin-sensitising effect plausible mechanism Evidence base is preliminary