If you are someone taking a cinnamon supplement for its health perks, you might want to think twice. New research suggests it might be time to go back to getting nutrients from your plate, not a pill. Researchers now found that a compound in cinnamon supplements could interfere with how your body processes medications, something plain old cinnamon in food does not seem to do.
Cinnamon is an age-old spice that has long been used as a flavoring agent in foods like breakfast cereals, snacks, bagels, teas, and hot chocolate. In recent years, cinnamon supplements have gained popularity among health enthusiasts, praised for their potential anti-inflammatory benefits and blood sugar-lowering effects.
The latest study, published in the journal Food Chemistry: Molecular Sciences, uncovers a surprising twist for supplement users. Researchers found that cinnamaldehyde, the compound responsible for cinnamon’s distinctive flavor and many of its medicinal properties, can interfere with how the body processes certain medications when taken in concentrated supplement form. This interference could either reduce the effectiveness of common drugs or amplify their side effects, posing unexpected risks for people who rely on regular medications.
However, adding a dash of cinnamon to your coffee or oatmeal is harmless and might even offer small health perks. But when cinnamon is taken in concentrated supplement form, the story changes.
The new findings are a reminder that more is not always better, especially for those who turn to supplements as a shortcut for nutrition. “Health concerns could arise if excessive amounts of supplements are consumed without the knowledge of health care provider or prescriber of the medications. Overconsumption of supplements could lead to a rapid clearance of the prescription medicine from the body, and that could result in making the medicine less effective,” Shabana Khan, a principal scientist at the National Center for Natural Products Research in a news release.
“People who suffer from chronic diseases – like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, obesity, HIV, AIDS or depression – should be cautious when using cinnamon or any other supplements. Our best advice is to talk to a healthcare provider before using any supplements along with the prescription medicine. By definition, supplements are not meant to treat, cure or mitigate any disease,” Khan added.
