In a study that compared the antioxidant activity of 26 spices, 

cinnamon ranked highest.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF CINNAMON

The following benefits are attributed to the spice Cinnamon and/or its metabolite, Sodium Benzoate:

Cinnamaldehyde/Cinnamon activates Nrf2, the most important pathway for increasing our natural and innate antioxidant defense .

A variety of Cinnamon from Sri Lanka (C. zeylanicum) showed some of the most potent anti-inflammatory activity out of 115 anti-inflammatory foods tested.

Cinnamic aldehyde, a constituent of cassia cinnamon, has strong anti-inflammatory activity.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF – inflammatory cytokines responsible for many chronic inflammatory diseases.

• Inhibits IL-6 – another powerful inflammatory cytokine.

• Inhibits IL-1beta – another powerful inflammatory cytokine.

• Inhibits NF-kB – The single most important factor causing inflammation in the body.

• Increases IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine.

• Increases PPAR Alpha, which inhibits COX2.

• Contains β-Caryophyllene oxide which is a STAT3 inhibitor.

• Modifies costimulatory molecules to lower inflammation (Inhibits MHCII, CD80, CD86, CD275).

• Activates PPAR gamma [17], which decreases inflammation.

• May increase Th2 response.

• Reduces Th1 dominance.

• Increases Tregs, restraining the immune system and preventing an excessive T Cell response .

• Inhibits IL-8, a ‘chemokine’ produced by various immune cells. IL-8 an important part of our immune response.

Is a potent inhibitor of E. coli.

Ceylon Cinnamon showed strong antibacterial activity against MRSA in test tube experiments.

Cinnamon can also help prevent tooth decay and bad breath. In fact, cinnamon was shown to be even more effective than clove for the bacteria that cause dental plaque .

Cinnamon most effectively inhibited HIV-1 out of all 69 medicinal plants studied (in test tube experiments).

Cinnamon Essential oil, Cinnamon/Cinnamaldehyde, Eugenol found in cinnamon essential oil – are all Biofilm disruptors.

Hydroxycinnamic acids and Cinnamaldehyde are quorum-sensing inhibitors.

Cinnamon shows anti-fungal activity against Candida albicans (“Candida“) and other infectious fungi such as Aspergillus niger (Black Mold), A. fumigatus, A. nidulans, A. flavus, C. tropicalis, C. pseudotropicalis, and Histoplasma capsulatum .

Cinnamon is antiparasitic (giardia and malaria).

Cinnamon increases Tregs, which can be important for clearing some infections. They are crucial for the establishment of a functional Th17 response after the infection in the gut (with the help of IL-2).

PATHWAYS:

• Increases Tregs, which can stop our immune cells from attacking our own tissue.

• Inhibits TNF alpha which is associated with autoimmune disease .

• Increases PPAR Alpha, which decreases autoimmune conditions such as MS (animal models).

• Decreases IL-12 (Th1 cytokine), an inflammatory cytokine that worsens autoimmunity.

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with autoimmune and inflammatory disease, including Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus.

• Inhibits IL-6 , an inflammatory cytokine which is otherwise associated with a number of autoimmune diseases, including: Rheumatoid arthritis , Fibromyalgia , Multiple Sclerosis, Behcet’s, SLE, System Sclerosis, IBS, IBD, Crohn’s.

• Inhibits Th-17 immunity, which is associated with several autoimmune diseases: Hashimoto’s, Grave’s, Multiple Sclerosis, SLE, Uveitis, Type 1 Diabetes and others.

• Inhibits IL-8, which is associated with a number of autoimmune diseases, including Colitis, Crohn’s, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis, Lyme, ALS, Behcet’s, Fibromyalgia, Psoriasis and Eczema.

• Increases IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine that may protect against autoimmune diseases, including: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sclerosis, Behcet’s, Asthma and Allergies, Crohn’s, Colitis, Psoriasis, and Eczema.

It shows potential for colon cancer in animal studies.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha, which otherwise can induce a ‘leaky gut’ and is associated with IBS and Crohn’s/Ulcerative Colitis .

• Activates PPAR gamma, which decreases inflammation and can help IBD (Crohn’s, Ulcerative colitis).

• Inhibits IL-6, which is elevated in IBS and Crohn’s disease.

• Increases intestinal TGF-beta, increasing serotonin transporters and serotonin uptake in the gut, which is low in IBS and IBD . TGF-b also leads to the death of T cells that attack our tissue (clonal deletion). So this suggests that TGF is protective against autoimmune gut disorders.

• Inhibits IL-1beta which is a powerful inhibitor of stomach acid. High IL-1beta can lead to uncontrolled H pylori infection and worsen digestion of food.

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with gut diseases: IBS, Crohn’s , Colitis.

• Inhibits IL-8, which is associated with IBS, Colitis, and Crohn’s.

• Increases Tregs, protecting against IBS, IBD Colitis, Crohn’s.

• Inhibits Th-17 immunity, which is associated with IBS – some cases, and IBD: Crohn’s, Colitis – contradictory.

• Increases IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine that may protect against IBS – especially in males, Crohn’s, Colitis – people with Crohn’s felt better when given a bacteria that produces IL-10.

Cinnamon can function like insulin without insulin (insulin mimic).

In human trials, cinnamon can lower fasting blood sugar levels by up to 10-29% .

Indonesian Cassia Cinnamon (C. burmannii) tea helps significantly lower blood sugar levels after meals in non-diabetics.

Decreasing blood glucose may contribute to wakefulness (by increasing orexin).

PATHWAYS:

• Blocks the absorption of carbs.

• Inhibits TNF alpha which is associated with Insulin Resistance and Type II Diabetes.

• Inhibits IL-6 [13], an inflammatory cytokine which is otherwise associated with diabetes.

• Inhibits IL-1beta, a cytokine that can contribute to diabetes by decreasing the amount of zinc your pancreas gets.

• Inhibits NF-kB , which is associated with Diabetes, Types 1&2, insulin resistance.

• Activates PPAR gamma and reduces blood glucose levels (via GLUT4).

• Increases Tregs], protecting against Diabetes.

PATHWAYS:

• Increases GLP-1 . GLP-1 is a gut hormone that can activate neurons in the hypothalamus that increase orexin levels. Orexin is a neurotransmitter that regulates arousal, wakefulness, and appetite. GLP-1 helps make us feel satiated as well, which will make us eat less and activate orexin even more.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha which is associated with Psoriasis and Eczema .

• Inhibits IL-1beta, a cytokine that is associated with UV-induced skin damage, contact allergic dermatitis, psoriasis, and eczema.

• Inhibits Th-17 immunity, which is associated with acne lesions, psoriasis, and eczema .

• Inhibits IL-6 which can also cause skin problems. When your natural skin fungus gets out of control the body attacks it with cytokines that include IL-6 (also IL-1b, TNF, IL-8), which recruits other aspects of the immune system. IL-6 is elevated in people with tinea versicolor, a skin fungus. IL-6 also increases Th22 cells, which disrupts skin microbial balance .

• Inhibits IL-8, which is associated with psoriasis, eczema, and vitiligo .

• Increases IL-10, which may protect against psoriasis and eczema .

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with aging, eczema, and psoriasis .

• Increases Tregs, which help protect against eczema and psoriasis.

Cinnamaldehyde significantly lowered ghrelin secretion in obese mice fed for five weeks with CIN-containing diet. It also significantly reduced their food intake and their cumulative weight gain and improved glucose tolerance without changing insulin secretion .

PATHWAYS:

• Increases IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine that leads to weight loss .

• Increases PPAR Alpha . Mice without PPAR alpha have 20X less UCP-3 which is important for fat loss . This and other mechanisms make PPAR alpha important for fat loss.

• Activates AMPK , which increases ‘fat burning’ and this ‘pathway’ can result in weight loss .

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with Obesity.

• Inhibits IL-8, which is released by fat cells. It is elevated in obese people and correlated with fat mass.

It reduces the risk of Parkinson’s Disease. In a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, cinnamon helped to protect neurons, normalize neurotransmitter levels, and improve motor function.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits IL-1beta, a cytokine with a strong pro-inflammatory effect that can harm cognitive performance. IL-1b is detrimental to neuronal synapses during activation-induced inflammation and causes neuro-degeneration. It can also negatively impact Long Term Potentiation, which is critical for learning and memory.

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s , ALS , Schizophrenia , Bipolar, and possibly Anorexia .

• Inhibits IL-8, which predicted smaller gray matter volumes in the hippocampus, and is associated with Alzheimer’s, Depression, Bipolar (could be from lithium) , Schizophrenia – Also, children had higher risk for schizophrenia when pregnant mothers had elevated IL-8. High IL-8 reduced the likelihood of positive responses to antipsychotic medication.

• Inhibits TNF alpha which is associated with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, OCD – only sometimes, Schizophrenia , Bipolar, Anorexia.

• Inhibits IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine [13] which is a decent predictor of cognitive decline in late midlife. A 10-year decline in reasoning was greater among people with high IL-6 than those with low IL-6. In addition, people with high IL-6 had 1.81 times greater odds of decline in a test that measures normal cognitive function.

• Increases PPAR Alpha, which may protect against Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s Disease.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha, which is associated with Major Depression – Depressed people had TNF levels that were about 3.97 pg/ml higher than healthy people.

• Inhibits IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine that may cause feelings of “hopelessness”. This state strongly correlated with IL-6 levels.

• Inhibits NF-kB which is associated with both anxiety and depression.

• Inhibits IL-1beta, which is associated with anxiety and HPA activation, as well as depression.

• Increases, an anti-inflammatory cytokine that may protect against depression, and anxiety.

It also reduces blood pressure (animal studies).

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha, which is otherwise associated with heart disease – Heart failure, Atherosclerosis, Stroke.

• Increases PPAR Alpha, which is protective against heart disease in that it inhibits macrophage inflammation and increases cholesterol flow.

• Activates PPAR gamma, which decreases inflammation in your heart, reduces cholesterol, and reduces blood pressure (in rats). Through these mechanisms, it’s believed that it PPAR gamma decreases heart disease.

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with Heart Disease, Atherosclerosis, Stroke, Angina.

• Inhibits IL-8, which contributes to forming plaques in our arteries. IL-8 also enhances the binding of cholesterol (LDL) to blood vessels and increases the adhesion of immune cells in these vessels. Both of these events contribute to atherosclerosis.

• Increases Tregs, protecting against Heart Disease/Atherosclerosis.

• Inhibits IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine which is otherwise associated with Heart disease.

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha which is associated with Osteoporosis.

• Inhibits IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine which is otherwise associated with Osteoporosis (postmenopausal). IL-6 promotes osteoclasts, which degrade bones.

• Inhibits NF-kB, which is associated with Osteoporosis .

• Inhibits Th-17 immunity, which is associated with Osteoporosis – Women in menopause have less.

• Inhibits IL-8 , which is associated with Osteoporosis (post-menopausal).

PATHWAYS:

• Inhibits TNF alpha , which is otherwise associated with cancer – in general, Melanoma .

• Inhibits NF-kB which is strongly associated with cancer – about 45 cancers.

• Inhibits IL-8 , which is known to be a potent promoter of blood vessel growth (angiogenesis). This is what helps cancer grow. It also increases the proliferation and survival of cancer cells . IL-8 can also cause resistance to chemotherapy in cancer cells .

• Inhibits IL-6, an inflammatory cytokine which is associated with Cancer (Myeloma , Prostate , Breast , etc…).

• Inhibits Th-17 immunity , which is associated with some cancers: Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma.