cinnamon capsules are made from the bark of certain Evergreen trees
The humble spice cinnamon is used in the treatment of diabetes. Though few studies have been done related to its benefits in diabetic treatment, the results have been positive. This has led to cinnamon capsules in varying dosages being available in the market. While these can be taken based on the instructions on the bottle, it would make sense to do so according to the advice of your doctor.
How Cinnamon Capsules Help
Chemist Richard A. Anderson and colleagues found that compounds present in cinnamon increase the fat cells response to insulin. So you could say cinnamon has the ability to push the body to better utilize the insulin that it is producing. Available in a capsule form, cinnamon that is fit for human consumption comes from powdered cinnamon bark. Taking around a gram a day of ground cinnamon has shown positive results in terms of controlling blood sugar and bad cholesterol.
Beneficial Types
The cinnamon that we commonly use in our cooking is not really the one that helps in the control of diabetes. Many varieties of cinnamon are available, but only type 2 diabetes can be controlled with cinnamon known as Cinnamomum cassia blume which is also Chinese cinnamon. Another variation of cinnamon that can be used is cinnamomum zeylanicum nees. These two varieties are easily available in the United States. Cinnamon by itself has several benefits to the human body. Cinnamon oils on the other hand are believed to have compounds that could be potentially dangerous.
How Much Cinnamon
While cinnamon has shown signs of helping improve blood sugar levels, its indiscriminate use is likely to cause more harm than good. Before you begin using cinnamon, get a clearance from your doctor on its use. As a diabetic patient, you can begin using ¼ tsp. of cinnamon about three times a day. If you do not like the taste of cinnamon you can make your own cinnamon capsules by putting 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon into one or two capsules, these can be easily swallowed. After a little more than a month, your body should show some signs of improvement.
Cinnamon Capsule Brands
The market is flooded with cinnamon capsules of varying brands. Nature's Bounty Cinnamon has capsules that have around 1000 mg per serving. Two capsules a day is often prescribed. The standard sized bottle is available for approximately $8. If you follow a strict vegetarian diet, the Cinnamon Bark capsules are what you should look at. This particular brand has its extracts of cinnamon encased in a vegetarian capsule. Another of the vegetarian capsule brands is SOLGAR Cinnamon. Around 120 capsules should cost you approximately $7. There are several other brands like Now Food Cinnamon Bark, Nature Way Standardized Cinnamon Capsules, NSI Cinnamon, Gaia Herbs, Nature's Plus, NOW Cinnamon Bark and New Chapter. Make sure your sources of purchases are reliable.
What They Can Do
Cinnamon capsules are used by diabetics to control and maintain healthy levels of blood sugar. The flavanoids present in cinnamon capsules are great antioxidants for your blood. Cinnamon has been seen to improve the effect of insulin and lower blood sugar levels. This was proven in a study done by Alam Khan, MS, PHD and peers, and was published on the American Diabetes Association site. Care must be taken not to overdose as it may lead to dangerously low blood sugar levels and other complications.
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