No, it didn't work for me. I drink organic vinegar. 2 T in a short glass of water before meals and that works better.

I know, ick, but it is good for many ailments, seriously.

A few small scientific studies suggest that eating cinnamon will improve blood glucose and cholesterol levels. One of the studies involved rats. That’s all some people need to start using cinnamon as a medicinal. I’ve seen it used to treat or prevent diabetes.

A recent meta-analysis published in Diabetes Care examined five randomized, controlled clinical trials testing the cinnamon theory. “Randomized, controlled trials” are the gold standard in testing whether a drug or other treatment is effective. Even better is if the trial is “double-blind,” meaning neither the study subjects NOR investigators know during the study if the subject is getting the drug versus a placebo. “Randomized” means that all qualified study participants are randomly assigned either to placebo or the drug/treatment being tested.

W.L. Baker and colleagues found five well-designed studies in the literature involving 282 people who were given cinnamon - from one to six grams daily - for at least three months.

Their findings?

Cinnamon does not appear to improve hemoglobinA1c, fasting blood glucose, or cholesterol in patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes.

So enjoy cinnamon for the flavor but without expectations it will improve glucose or cholesterol levels.

-Steve Parker, M.D.

Reference: Baker, W.L., et al. Effect of cinnamon on glucose control and lipid parameters. Diabetes Care, 31 (2008): 41-43.

That paper is available here
However there have been more papers published since that review such as
Changes in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity following 2 weeks of daily cinnamon ingestion in healthy humans.
Cinnamon can improve fasting glucose in humans yet data on insulin sensitivity are limited and controversial.

Eight male volunteers underwent two 14-day interventions involving cinnamon or placebo supplementation (3 g day(-1)).

Placebo supplementation was continued for 5 days following this 14 day period.

Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed on days 0, 1, 14, 16, 18, and 20.

Cinnamon ingestion reduced the glucose response to OGTT on day 1 (-13.1 +/- 6.3% vs. day 0; P < 0.05) and day 14 (-5.5 +/- 8.1% vs. day 0; P = 0.09).

Cinnamon ingestion also reduced insulin responses to OGTT on day 14 (-27.1 +/- 6.2% vs. day 0; P < 0.05), as well as improving insulin sensitivity on day 14 (vs. day 0; P < 0.05).

These effects were lost following cessation of cinnamon feeding.

Cinnamon may improve glycaemic control and insulin sensitivity, but the effects are quickly reversed.

I have taken cinnamon with no noticible effects...

Be aware that cinnamon is not carb free - the pills I took were 2-3g per pill

But as I have explained earlier you have to be careful to choose a form that has been shown to be effective.
Antioxidant effects of a cinnamon extract in people with impaired fasting glucose that are overweight or obese. This study supports the hypothesis that the inclusion of water soluble cinnamon compounds in the diet could reduce risk factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Subjects were given capsules containing either a placebo or 250 mg of an aqueous extract of cinnamon (Cinnulin PF) two times per day for 12 weeks.

Here are some sources of Cinnulin PF

There are a variety to choose from but be aware the study above use 250mg that is 2 two of most of this selection TWICE daily.
So that is 4 of these capsules in total every day.

So make sure you take the right form Cinnulin PFand
Make sure you take an EFFECTIVE amount 250 mg
and make sure you persist for a sufficient time two times per day for 12 weeks.
Be aware the instructions on some of the CinnulinPF forms above tell you to take a smaller daily amount.

I doubt lower amounts will be effective, some of the mouse/rat/hamster studies use 50mg/kg of this stuff but 37capsules a day would really be too expensive and exceedingly time consuming to contemplate.

Also you have to be persistent, so keep it going for long enough anything less than 6 weeks isn't really giving it a chance.

Remember this is not meant as a magic pill that allows you to eat junk or crap food without adverse consequences, it is supplementary to maintaining proper low carbohydrate diet, maintaining optimum Vitamin D3, omega 3 and magnesium status and taking regular exercise.
Code ~~~~~~ $5 discount for those new to IHERB.

Dr Davis mentions one of the routes by which cinnamon works it's effect on blood glucose here
There is also some useful information here.
Cinnamon By David Mendosa

The potential of cinnamon to reduce blood glucose levels in patients with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance. it does possess antihyperglycaemic properties and potential to reduce postprandial blood glucose levels.

Vinegar Decreases Postprandial Hyperglycemia in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes this study suggest two tablespoons of vinegar is required not the 2 teaspoons Dr Davis suggests in his article.
There is reason to believe that the effect of vinegar would be additive to the effect of cinnamon.

Study Shows Vinegar Reduces Blood Glucose Levels

Cinnamon, cloves improve insulin function, lower risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease Note the warning at the end of this article. eating great quantities of cinnamon straight from the can is not a good idea. Table cinnamon is not water soluble, meaning it can build up in the body with unknown consequences. Second, the powered cinnamon has another limitation. Dr. Anderson's personal 60-point decline in total cholesterol occurred only after he switched from sprinkling cinnamon on his breakfast cereal to taking it in a capsule. Saliva contains a chemical harmful to cinnamon.

Hi, I am from Ceylon which is now known as Sri Lanka. Of the six species known to exist in Ceylon, C. verum Presl (syn. C. zeylanicum Blume) is widely grown for its economic worth. In the commercial world, Ceylon Cinnamon is known as the “true” Cinnamon. This is because another economic form of Cinnamon also exists. This variety belongs to the same LAURACEAE family, botanically called Cinnamomum aromaticum or Cinnamomum cassia. Ceylon cinnamon is the more refined and the more suitable ingredient for human consumption. It does not have the blood thinning agent coumarin. But if it does it would be present only in extremely minute quantities and is not harmful. Ceylon cinnamon is used extensively in Ayurvedic preparations for numerous ailments including diabetics.

There is an easy method of identifying Ceylon Cinnamon. The bark is much thinner than cassia and the quills roll into a spiral once it is removed from the core wood, while cassia bark being very much thicker will not roll so easily but each cut side will roll inwards in the manner of a scroll. Cassia is sometimes presented with the outer bark as well as it is very often difficult to scrape off. Powdered or ground cinnamon is often an adulterated mix of Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamon zeylanicum if it is a product from any other cinnamon producing country. In Sri Lanka there is only one type of cinnamon that's used, that is C. verum Presl (syn. C. zeylanicum Blume). Therefore if the powdered cinnamon originated from Sri Lanka you are certain of the genuine product. It is perfectly safe for human consumption. In addition to the different grades of quills and the ground form we also produce cinnamon oil from the bark, leaves and the roots.

The main constituents of the essential oil derived from cinnamon bark, leaves and roots are:
• Cinnamon bark: (max. 4%) is dominated by the two phenylpropanoids cinnamaldehyde (3-phenyl-acrolein, 65 to 75%) and eugenol (4-(1-propene-3-yl)-2-methoxy-phenol, 5 to 10%). Other phenylpropanoids (safrole, coumarin [max. 0.6%] cinnamic acid esters), mono- and sesquiterpenes, although occurring only in traces, do significantly influence the taste of cinnamon. Another trace component relevant for the quality is 2-heptanone (methyl-n-amyl-ketone). The slime content of the bark is rather low (3%).
• Cinnamon leaves: (1%) can be obtained that consists mainly of eugenol (70 to 95%) and can be used as a substitute for cloves. Small amounts (1 to 5%) of cinnamaldehyde, benzyl benzoate, linalool and β-caryophyllene have also been found.
• Cinnamon root bark: camphor (60%) dominates which is a completely different composition than what was found previously in the bark and leaves.

I hope my information is useful in understanding the properties of True Ceylon Cinnamon, botanically known as C. verum Presl (syn. C. zeylanicum Blume)

Huh, interesting! I've heard most of the cinnamon we have in the US is Cinnamon cassia. They're starting to sell it by "origin". So you can get Saigon Cinnamon, stuff like that. Some places supposedly have better tasting cinnamon.

I tried capsules, and also tea (couldn't stand the tea) but it didn't seem to help at all, and it did seem to upset my stomach.
sol