If you are someone who has a cinnamon supplement for its health benefits, you may want to think twice. New research suggests that it could be time to start with nutrients from your plate, not a pill. The researchers have now found that a compound in cinnamon supplements could interfere with the way your body treats medication, something old old cinnamon in food does not seem to do.
Cinnamon is a secular spice that has long been used as an aromatizing agent in foods such as breakfast cereals, snacks, bagels, teas and hot chocolate. In recent years, cinnamon supplements have gained popularity among health enthusiasts, congratulated for their potential anti-inflammatory advantages and their effects of alteration of blood sugar.
The latest study, published in the journal Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences, discovers a surprising touch for supplement users. The researchers discovered that cannamaldehyde, the compound responsible for the distinctive flavor of cinnamon and many of its medicinal properties, can interfere with the way the body treats certain drugs when taken in the form of a concentrated supplement. This interference could reduce the effectiveness of common drugs or amplify their side effects, posing unexpected risks for people who rely on regular drugs.
However, adding a pinch of cinnamon to your coffee or oatmeal is harmless and could even offer small health benefits. But when the cinnamon is taken in the form of a concentrated supplement, the story changes.
The new discoveries recall that the more is not always better, especially for those who turn to supplements like a shortcut for nutrition. “Health problems could arise if excessive quantities of supplements are consumed without the knowledge of the health care provider or the drug prescriber. Overcuction of supplements could lead to rapid clearance of the body’s prescription drug, and this could lead to the search for less efficient medicine”, Shabana Khan, a main scientist of the National Center for Research on Natural Products.
“People who suffer from chronic diseases – such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, obesity, HIV, AIDS or depression – should be careful when using cinnamon or any other supplement. Our best advice is to speak to a health care provider before using supplements with prescription medicine.
