Here is a few Pubmed  abstracts dealing with Cinnamon.

Bill who takes a gram a day.

...........
Cinnamon supplementation does not improve glycemic control in
postmenopausal type 2 diabetes patients.

  €  Vanschoonbeek K, Thomassen BJ, Senden JM, Wodzig WK, van Loon LJ.
Department of Human Biology, Nutrition and Toxicology Research
Institute, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
K.Vanschoonbeek@HB.unimaas.nl
In vitro and in vivo animal studies have reported strong insulin-like or
insulin-potentiating effects after cinnamon administration. Recently, a
human intervention study showed that cinnamon supplementation (1 g/d)
strongly reduced fasting blood glucose concentration (30%) and improved
the blood lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes. The objective
of this study was to investigate the effects of cinnamon supplementation
on insulin sensitivity and/or glucose tolerance and blood lipid profile
in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, a total of 25
postmenopausal patients with type 2 diabetes (aged 62.9 +/- 1.5 y, BMI
30.4 +/- 0.9 kg/m2) participated in a 6-wk intervention during which
they were supplemented with either cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia, 1.5 g/d)
or a placebo. Before and after 2 and 6 wk of supplementation,
arterialized blood samples were obtained and oral glucose tolerance
tests were performed. Blood lipid profiles and multiple indices of
whole-body insulin sensitivity were determined. There were no time x
treatment interactions for whole-body insulin sensitivity or oral
glucose tolerance. The blood lipid profile of fasting subjects did not
change after cinnamon supplementation.

We conclude that cinnamon supplementation (1.5 g/d) does not improve
whole-body insulin sensitivity or oral glucose tolerance and does not
modulate blood lipid profile in postmenopausal patients with type 2
diabetes. More research on the proposed health benefits of cinnamon
supplementation is warranted before health claims should be made.

PMID: 16549460 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Effects of a cinnamon extract on plasma glucose, HbA, and serum lipids
in diabetes mellitus type 2.

  €  Mang B, Wolters M, Schmitt B, Kelb K, Lichtinghagen R, Stichtenoth
DO, Hahn A.
Nutrition Physiology and Human Nutrition Unit, Institute of Food
Science, University of Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
BACKGROUND: According to previous studies, cinnamon may have a positive
effect on the glycaemic control and the lipid profile in patients with
diabetes mellitus type 2. The aim of this trial was to determine whether
an aqueous cinnamon purified extract improves glycated haemoglobin A1c
(HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, low-density
lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triacylglycerol
concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 79
patients with diagnosed diabetes mellitus type 2 not on insulin therapy
but treated with oral antidiabetics or diet were randomly assigned to
take either a cinnamon extract or a placebo capsule three times a day
for 4 months in a double-blind study. The amount of aqueous cinnamon
extract corresponded to 3 g of cinnamon powder per day. RESULTS: The
mean absolute and percentage differences between the pre- and
post-intervention fasting plasma glucose level of the cinnamon and
placebo groups were significantly different. There was a significantly
higher reduction in the cinnamon group (10.3%) than in the placebo group
(3.4%). No significant intragroup or intergroup differences were
observed regarding HbA1c, lipid profiles or differences between the pre-
and postintervention levels of these variables. The decrease in plasma
glucose correlated significantly with the baseline concentrations,
indicating that subjects with a higher initial plasma glucose level may
benefit more from cinnamon intake. No adverse effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS: The cinnamon extract seems to have a moderate effect in
reducing fasting plasma glucose concentrations in diabetic patients with
poor glycaemic control.

PMID: 16634838 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Cinnamaldehyde-A potential antidiabetic agent.

  €  Subash Babu P, Prabuseenivasan S, Ignacimuthu S.
Division of Ethnopharmacology, Entomology Research Institute, Loyola
College, Chennai 600 034, Tamil Nadu, India.
Cinnamonum zeylanicum (cinnamon) is widely used in traditional system of
medicine to treat diabetes in India. The present study was carried out
to isolate and identify the putative antidiabetic compounds based on
bioassay-guided fractionation; the compound identified decreased the
plasma glucose levels. The active compound was purified by repeat column
and structure of cinnamaldehyde was determined on the basis of chemical
and physiochemical evidence. The LD(50) value of cinnamaldehyde was
determined as 1850+/-37mg/kg bw. Cinnamaldehyde was administered at
different doses (5, 10 and 20mg/kg bw) for 45 days to streptozotocin
(STZ) (60mg/kg bw)-induced male diabetic wistar rats. It was found that
plasma glucose concentration was significantly (p<0.05) decreased in a
dose-dependent manner (63.29%) compared to the control. In addition,
oral administration of cinnamaldehyde (20mg/kg bw) significantly
decreased glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1C)), serum total cholesterol,
triglyceride levels and at the same time markedly increased plasma
insulin, hepatic glycogen and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol
levels. Also cinnamaldehyde restored the altered plasma enzyme
(aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate
dehydrogenase, alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase) levels to near
normal. Administration of glibenclamide, a reference drug (0.6mg/kg bw)
also produced a significant (p<0.05) reduction in blood glucose
concentration in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

The results of this experimental study indicate that cinnamaldehyde
possesses hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects in STZ-induced diabetic
rats.
PMID: 17140783 [PubMed - in process]

"Jason Johnson" <jason@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:jason-0601072327190001@66-52-22-4.lsan.pw-dia.impulse.net...

Capsaicin is the stuff that makes  hot peppers hot.

No, it was used to demostrate that certain nerves have a role to play in
diabetes. Unfortuantely, there  would be many side effects with this
treatment if it were done in humans. It prevented diabetes, not cured it.

I am glad that you are asking questions. Yours are good questions.

The research that was done will help researchers understand diabetes better
and open up new lines of research. However, it will be some time before it
leads to new treatments, I think.

Jeff
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Jeff,
Thanks. I am glad that I did not tell my friend about Capsaicin. It would
have given him "false hope."
Have a Happy New Year,
Jason
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