Diabecinn: Discover How An Ordinary Kitchen Spice Led To The Development Of An Extraordinary Diabetes Remedy

Cinnamon, the dried inner bark of a tree from Sri Lanka, is a common ingredient used to flavour a variety of dishes that you probably have sitting in your kitchen spice rack.

Latest research findings have revealed that this popular spice possesses far more than a distinctive taste. It is proving to have remarkable powers as a safe and effective treatment for diabetes.

These findings have led to the development of a brand new natural cinnamon-based supplement, called Diabecinn. While the remedy itself may be new, the story behind its development dates back to 1990, when Dr Richard Anderson, a chemist at the Human Nutrition Research Centre in Maryland, in the US, was searching for foods that might mimic the action of insulin in controlling blood sugar.

He was amazed to discover that the spice mix used in the traditional American apple pie had just this effect, which was finally narrowed down to its content of cinnamon.

Diabetes can cause additional complications as can conventional diabetes drugs

The need for a safe and effective remedy like Diabecinn has never been greater, as the UK is facing a huge increase in the number of cases of diabetes. According to the charity Diabetes UK, the number of people diagnosed with this disease, which currently stands at around 1.8 million, could reach 3 million by 2010. One of the main reasons behind this increase is our sedentary lifestyles coupled with our growing reliance on processed and sugar-rich foods.

For this reason, it is important that Diabecinn be taken in conjunction with regular exercise and a healthy diet that is low in sugar and refined carbohydrates (like white bread and pasta) which can rapidly cause your blood sugar levels to soar. One study has shown that these basic lifestyle changes alone can slash your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by half (Ref. 1).

Diabetes causes blood sugar levels to become damagingly high because the hormone insulin is not regulating it properly. In Type 1 diabetes, which usually becomes apparent in childhood, the pancreas (a gland situated behind your stomach) produces little or no insulin. This usually requires daily injections of insulin.

In the kind of diabetes that most often arises in later life, called Type 2, either the system that signals the pancreas to produce insulin becomes less efficient or the body tissues become less responsive to insulin a condition called insulin resistance.

Common symptoms of Type 2 diabetes are fatigue, frequent hunger, excessive thirst and a frequent need to urinate. It can also cause blurred vision, a dry mouth and dry or itchy skin. It is important to see your doctor immediately if you suspect you may be developing diabetes, as it can be a life-threatening condition. If not well controlled, the long-term effects of diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, vision loss and nerve damage.

While conventional anti-diabetic drugs like Metformin can control blood sugar levels effectively, they come with a long list of harmful side effects, including dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nervousness, confusion, nausea, sweating and loss of appetite.

Clinical trials involving diabetic patients and cinnamon have revealed startling results

It was 13 years after Dr Andersons initial discovery that cinnamon can successfully control blood sugar levels, that a research associate of his, Dr Alam Khan, leading a team at the Hayatabad Medical Complex in Peshawar, Pakistan, conducted a clinical trial in diabetes patients.

60 middle-aged men and women were divided into groups who received either 1, 3 or 6 grams of powdered cinnamon daily, or a placebo. After 40 days, patients in all three of the cinnamon groups had reductions in their blood sugar levels of between 18 and 29 per cent, while there was no change in the placebo group (Ref. 2).

This trial was carried out in Pakistan and the patients diabetes was not under the degree of control that would be typically aimed for in the West, so their blood sugar levels at the start of the trial were relatively high by comparison. The patients diets and genetic backgrounds were also different from those of most westerners. Because of this, it was still not certain that cinnamon would be an effective addition to conventional medical treatments for diabetes.

Now, cutting-edge new research from Germany has removed any remaining doubts about cinnamons effectiveness. A team at the University of Hannover conducted a double-blind clinical trial in which 79 patients with Type 2 diabetes were given either an aqueous cinnamon extract (equivalent to 3 grams powdered cinnamon) or placebo capsule, three times a day for four months (Ref. 3).

At the end of the trial, blood sugar levels had fallen by an average of 10 per cent in the group taking cinnamon extract, but by only 3 per cent in the control group. The patients who had the highest blood sugar readings at the start of the trial experienced the greatest reductions. This explains why the results of the German trial, while being comparable with the effects of conventional medication, were not as spectacular as those in Pakistan, where patients were starting from much higher blood sugar level readings.

Diabecinn boosts insulin activity and increases glucose metabolism

Diabecinn is based on a water-soluble extract of cinnamon. While the oil naturally present in cinnamon can be toxic in large doses, Diabecinn is a special water-based extract that completely avoids this potential problem.

One of the reasons why it is so effective is because it contains two of cinnamons active ingredients. One of these is a group of water-soluble compounds called polyphenols, which promote glucose uptake by cells and increase glucose metabolism. The most important polyphenol it contains is MHCP, which boosts the activity of insulin by about 20 times (Ref. 4).

The other active ingredient is a group of compounds known as hydroxychalcones, which actually mimic the action of insulin and allow glucose to pass from the bloodstream into the cells (Ref. 5).

What to take for best results

The recommended dosage for Diabecinn is three capsules a day. While Diabecinn can be used with prescription anti-diabetic medication, it is important to inform your doctor prior to taking it and to have regular check ups to assess your blood sugar levels, as the dosage of your prescription medication may need to be adjusted accordingly.

Although no side effects have been observed in clinical trials following Diabecinns use, as a precaution it is not recommended during pregnancy. Also people taking blood-thinning medication such as Warfarin should only use Diabecinn under their doctors supervision.

References:

1. NEJM 2002; 346: 393-403
2. Diabetes Care 2003; 26(12): 3215-3218
3. Eur J Clin Invest 2006; 36(5): 340-344
4. J Agric Food Chem 2004; 52: 65-70
5. J Am Coll Nutr 2001; 20(4): 327-336