DEAR DR. GOTT:
I am an 81-year-old male in fairly good physical condition. I have had some serious bouts with asthma and pneumonia and now take several nebulizer treatments a day as well as an inhaler. I get along pretty well with my breathing though.

Now to my question. I have type 2 diabetes. A few months ago I read that cinnamon was good for lowering sugar levels. I decided to try it mixed with Splenda on toast several times a day and it seemed to work. I then purchased 500 mg cinnamon capsules and started taking them twice a day, after breakfast and dinner.

Before the cinnamon, I was trying to control my diabetes with diet and exercise but it wasn’t really working. I would often have spikes of 250 or higher (before a meal) for no apparent reason. After the cinnamon, I have not had a reading over 130 before a meal.

Is there anything wrong with this treatment? Are there any side effects? I have also told a friend with severe diabetes about this. It seems to work for him as well.

DEAR READER:
I have received several letters from readers, such as you, who have had a favorable response to cinnamon therapy for diabetes. At the time cinnamon was first mentioned in my column by a reader who was using it for diabetes, he also claimed it lowered his cholesterol levels as well. Cinnamon for cholesterol does not appear to work for the number of readers who wrote to me with their results.

The one side effect I have heard about from my readers is diarrhea. It appears to be dose related. I do not know if this is common in the general public, however. Therefore, I see no reason why you shouldn’t try it (with doctor’s permission, of course).

That being said, there have been a couple of studies on the subject. One of note is found on www.WebMD.com. A researcher with the NWFP Agriculture University in Peshawar, Pakistan says that cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and turmeric have shown promise in improving insulin’s action in lab studies. He also says that cinnamon can improve glucose and cholesterol metabolism, improve function of small blood vessels and remove artery-damaging free radicals from the blood. Korean ginseng, flaxseed, garlic, and onions have similar effects.

The best results were achieved in individuals who took three to six grams (6-12-500 mg capsules or 1-1 ¾ teaspoons) each day. This is by no means a small amount and favorable results diminish soon after the cinnamon is stopped. For those people who participated, insulin sensitivity improved, triglyceride and LDL “bad” cholesterol levels were reduced and changes to the HDL “good” cholesterol levels were minor.

If you would like to read the WebMD article it can be found at http://diabetes.webmd.com/news/20031205/cinnamon-helps-type-2-diabetes.

To give you related information, I am sending you copies of my Health Reports “Living with Diabetes Mellitus” and “Understanding Cholesterol”. Other readers who would like copies should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 (per report) to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title.