Does Cinnamon Lower High Cholesterol?

 Does Cinnamon Lower High Cholesterol?

Dr. Dick Anderson of the University of Pakistan conducted a study that shows a link between cinnamon ingestion and the lowering of cholesterol.  Though the study was conducted with a population sample of people that had Type II diabetes, the study overlapping impact has engaged people around the world to buy cinnamon and cinnamon supplements to treat their high cholesterol problem. 
The study used a control group of a population that took a placebo and a uncontrolled group that took cinnamon.  The group that took the cinnamon was given different amounts to see if dosage was a factor.  One group took a quarter of a teaspoon of cinnamon for forty days.  The second group took a teaspoon for forty days and the last group took a teaspoon and three quarters for forty days.  After the forty days, a blood sample was taken from all participants, including the group that was given a placebo.  Remarkably there were from eighteen to twenty nine percent reductions in LDL, bad cholesterol, in the group that took the cinnamon.

The higher the amount of cinnamon ingested also correlated with a higher reduction in LDL levels. 

The group that ingested a teaspoon and three quarters had drops that ranged from twenty three percent to thirty percent.  The effect on HDL did not change at all and if it did, it was hardly negligible. This study proves that one to six grams of cinnamon a day can significantly lower your LDL cholesterol levels. 

So what does this mean to the consumer who has high cholesterol?

Does the extra cinnamon in your system have in short term affect to your system?

To answer the second question, there was a follow up study that concluded that there were no short term effects of the ingestion of one to six grams of cinnamon a day.  Since the findings of the first study are so recent, long term effects have not been conducted due to the time window.  Many cultures have cinnamon in their diet daily since birth and no negative effects have been shown in studies of cultures that have cinnamon in their diet.

Dr. Anderson the promoter of cinnamon has come up with a supplement in which you can take your cinnamon in a capsule form.  He recommends two or three capsules a day with each meal. The supplement, which is called Cinnulin PF, is an extract of the operative substance of cinnamon called polyphenol type A polymer.  The polymer is the direct link that reduces your LDL cholesterol levels.  Though the research did not release information about the removal of plaque within your blood vessels, the logical conclusion would be that with the LDL cholesterol levels down, the plague would begin to be absorbed by the cell walls and used by other cells in other parts of your body.

You might want to take a more holistic approach to your intake of cinnamon and add it to your food.  A cinnamon stick in your hot cider or coca could be enough to lower your cholesterol.  Cinnamon is not too expensive and is cheaper than the supplement which goes for about twenty dollars for a thirty day supply.  Also you should consult with your doctor about your diet change.  Though there were no short term side effects found in the studies, each individual is different and side effects may happen no matter how small.