Ever since we learned that cinnamon could be used to help keep blood sugar from spiking after a meal, we have been writing about it. But once we learned that sometimes cinnamon can cause liver trouble, we’ve been warning about that, too. Needless to say, this can be very confusing.
Q. My husband and I have been using cinnamon capsules to lower blood sugar. His most recent yearly exam and blood work showed some slight liver enzyme elevation.
I had previously purchased a cinnamon supplement with water extracted standardized cinnamon. I found it pricey and switched to another brand with cassia cinnamon.
It does, indeed, prevent blood sugar spikes after eating. But we are concerned about the liver enzymes. Do you have other recommendations?
A. We agree that a liver enzyme elevation is disconcerting.
The Trouble with Cassia Cinnamon
Ordinary cassia cinnamon, the kind on most spice racks, can prevent blood sugar from rising quickly after meals. Unfortunately, it also may contain coumarin, which can be dangerous for the liver.
This compound occurs naturally in cinnamon bark but it is not water-soluble. That’s why sticking with a water extract or making your own water extract of cinnamon is safest.
Many people find that adding half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to coffee grounds when making a cup is an easy and tasty way to get water-extracted cinnamon in your diet. Use a paper filter, though, because ground cinnamon can make a gummy mess in a reusable filter.
Would Ceylon Cinnamon Be Safer?
Some readers have pointed out that Ceylon cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylonicum, has little or no coumarin in it, and therefore should not pose any risk to the liver. It does seem to offer a benefit for blood sugar control (BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Sept. 23, 2014; Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, March 4, 2014).
There are many other herbs and non-drug approaches that can be used to prevent spikes in blood sugar. You will find the details in the Guide to Managing Diabetes that we are sending you.
