Why Cinnamon May Not Be as Healthy as It Seems

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Cinnamon is often praised for its blood sugar benefits, but there’s another side to this popular spice that gets far less attention. Certain compounds in cinnamon may burden the liver’s detox pathways and, in some cases, contribute to liver damage. Here’s what the research shows about cinnamon, detoxification and why its potential risks may outweigh its benefits.

But isn’t cinnamon good for blood sugar levels?

Cinnamon has a reputation for being a healthy spice. It’s added to oatmeal, smoothies, coffee and tea, and some people even take cinnamon capsules every day as a supplement.

One of the biggest reasons cinnamon is considered healthy is its effect on blood sugar.

There is evidence behind this benefit. Studies suggest cinnamon may help lower fasting blood glucose and improve the way the body handles glucose. This is why cinnamon is sometimes recommended for people with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes.

Cinnamaldehyde is an aldehyde

But lowering blood sugar doesn’t necessarily mean a substance is good for the body overall.

One concern with cinnamon is cinnamaldehyde, the compound that gives cinnamon its strong smell and flavor. Cinnamaldehyde is an aldehyde — a reactive chemical that the body has to process and clear.

In experimental research, cinnamaldehyde has caused oxidative stress, damage to cell membranes and mitochondrial problems in liver cells. Researchers also found that when glutathione was depleted, liver cells became much more vulnerable to cinnamaldehyde toxicity.

Cinnamaldehyde belongs to the same broad family of reactive chemicals as acetaldehyde, the toxic compound your liver must process after drinking alcohol. They aren’t the same chemical, but both must be converted into less reactive compounds so the body can eliminate them. In fact, when researchers blocked the liver enzyme ALDH, cinnamaldehyde became much more toxic to liver cells — showing that the liver relies on this detox pathway to safely process it.

In other words, cinnamon isn’t simply a pleasant food passing harmlessly through the body. Its chemicals must be processed by the same liver that is already dealing with medications, alcohol, environmental chemicals, metabolic waste and countless other compounds.

Cinnamon compounds interact with the liver’s cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme system. These enzymes are a major part of the body’s detoxification machinery. They help process medications, chemicals and other substances so they can eventually be eliminated. Herbs that alter these enzymes can potentially change how quickly other compounds are processed.

Is Ceylon cinnamon safer and better?

Even Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), often promoted as the “safe” or “true” cinnamon, contains cinnamaldehyde.

Laboratory research found effects on CYP enzymes, although importantly, a recent human study using a fairly high dose of Ceylon cinnamon—6 grams daily—did not find a meaningful effect on the metabolism of two CYP2A6-substrate drugs. However, participants consumed the cinnamon for only five days before testing, so the study does not tell us what might happen with regular use over months or years.

Interestingly, a more sensitive analysis in the same study did detect evidence consistent with modest CYP2A6 inhibition in some participants. And because the study examined CYP2A6 specifically, it also does not rule out cinnamon’s potential effects on other CYP enzymes identified in laboratory research.

Is cassia cinnamon toxic?

Cassia cinnamon presents another problem: coumarin.

Coumarin is a naturally occurring plant chemical that can be toxic to the liver. Researchers reviewing the human evidence found that some people appear to be especially susceptible to coumarin-related liver damage. A tolerable daily intake of just 0.1 mg per kilogram of body weight has therefore been established.

Researchers found that cinnamon is the main dietary source of coumarin, and they warn that cassia cinnamon can provide especially high amounts of this potentially liver-toxic compound.

Cinnamon tea

And cinnamon tea isn’t much better. One human study found that coumarin from cinnamon tea was readily absorbed into the body.

Case reports with cinnamon

So what might cinnamon-related damage actually look like?

Here’s one real-world example: A 73-year-old woman developed abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and testing showed acute hepatitis after she had taken cinnamon supplements for about a week while also taking a statin. Her cinnamon supplement and statin were stopped, and her liver improved. Interestingly, she later restarted the statin without the same problem.

Here’s another: A 34-year-old woman regularly consuming cinnamon for weight loss developed abdominal pain, dark urine and jaundice — yellowing of the skin and eyes. Testing showed acute liver injury. After she stopped the cinnamon, her symptoms resolved and her liver tests eventually returned to normal.

These are case reports, so they don’t tell us how often this happens. But they show that “natural” doesn’t automatically mean harmless.

There is also experimental evidence that high doses of cassia cinnamon extract can affect both the liver and kidneys.

Conclusion

Cinnamon may have a blood-sugar benefit. But that benefit doesn’t tell the whole story.

If your goal is to reduce the number of potentially harmful compounds your liver and detoxification systems must continually process, regularly consuming concentrated cinnamon creates a tradeoff that isn’t worth it.

A lower blood sugar number isn’t better health if the substance producing that benefit is also giving the liver more work to do.

What to use instead of cinnamon

Do you know of any great alternatives to cinnamon?

When fall and winter baking calls for that unique cinnamon flavor, I love ginger as a healthy alternative. Pair it with cloves and cardamom for a non-toxic trio that creates a lovely pumpkin spice-type flavor profile.

If you use cinnamon for its blood sugar benefits, consider skipping it as a regular remedy. Instead, try taking a walk just before and/or after eating — one of the best ways to support healthy blood sugar levels!

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