Cinnamon and blood sugar levels
Previous studies have linked cinnamon with lowering blood sugar levels and having a beneficial effect on insulin levels, especially in those with type 2 diabetes. It was little understood how this occurred but a new study from Ohio Northern University, presented at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology annual meeting this month has discovered the mechanism behind how it works.
The study showed how compounds in cinnamon act on an enzyme (Sirt-1) active in insulin signaling. The scientists examined how several cinnamon phenols interacted with Sirt-1 and compared it with resveratrol (present in red grapes and blueberries) and it's interaction with Sirt-1. Results showed that compared with resveratrol, the compounds in cinnamon had similar and often stronger results activating the enzyme.
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