Cinnamon extract may be a useful tool if you are trying to lose weight—especially if you are obese, have metabolic syndrome or suffer from diabetes or prediabetes. However, you need to check with a doctor before adding cinnamon extract to your regimen because it can have side effects such as acting as a blood thinner. As of 2010, research on the spice’s weight-loss effectiveness was still ongoing.
Significance
Supplementing with cinnamon extract can result in increased lean muscle mass and slight body fat decreases, says a study published in the “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.” The study looked at the impact that cinnamon extract had on 22 people who had metabolic syndrome. If you have metabolic syndrome, you have a waist circumference that is too big, high triglyceride levels, elevated fasting blood sugar levels and high blood pressure. Some 26 percent of adults in America, or more than 50 million people, have this condition, which triples risk for cardiovascular disease and is associated with five times the risk for type 2 diabetes.