The effect of cinnamon on blood lipids profile in patients with type 2 diabetes

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is increasing with progressive syrup in all age groups. It has become a serious health problem in the community. Today, a number of researches have focused on determining the anti-fat effects of cheap and highly safe herbal products. Cinnamon, one of these herbs, has the ability to lower blood lipids due to its cinnamaldehyde element. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of cinnamon in different doses on cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and HDL levels in diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was performed on 69 male and female diabetic patients with mean blood triglyceride level of 179.91 ± 14.19 in Zahedan. Subjects were divided into 3 groups (2 intervention groups receiving cinnamon 2 and 4 g doses and control group receiving placebo). Each subject received 4 capsules daily for 12 weeks. Intravenous blood samples were taken to measure cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, HDL and FBS at baseline and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks. One-way ANOVA and Repeated Measurement tests were used for data analysis Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in mean triglyceride, cholesterol, glucose and LDL levels in the intervention group compared to the placebo group (P <0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in mean HDL between the three groups (P >0.05). Conclusion: Long-term consumption of high-dose cinnamon can be effective in reducing the lipid profiles of diabetic patients because of its polyphenolic compounds.