Skip to main content
ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #191346
Title: TEA INCREASES INSULIN SENSITIVITY AND DECREASES OXIDATIVE STRESS IN RATS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME

Author
item GRAHAM, GEORGE - COLUMBIA PRESBYTERIAN HOS
item JOHNSON, BLAIR - COL.PRESBY.HOSPIT,NY,NY
item JOHNSON, AMANDA - COL.PRESBY.HOSP., NY,NY
item Anderson, Richard
item DEVINE, PATRICIA - COL PRESBY.HOS.,NY,NY

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/20/2006
Publication Date: 1/20/2007
Citation: Graham, G., Johnson, B., Johnson, A., Anderson, R.A., Devine, P. 2007. Tea increases insulin sensitivity and decreases oxidative stress in rats with metabolic syndrome. [abstract]

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Cinnamon has been shown to improve glycemic control in people with non-insulin dependent diabetes. Fifty-one patients with gestational diabetes diagnosed between 24 and 32 weeks of gestation were randomized to 6 weeks of either 1 gram of cinnamon per day or an identical-appearing capsule containing bran cereal. The need for insulin, timing of insulin initiation, and total insulin requirements were assessed weekly. Patients with gestational diabetes were randomly assigned to the cinnamon (26) or placebo (25) group. Baseline characteristics did not differ statistically between groups with regards to maternal age, parity, BMI, race, family history of diabetes, or prior gestational diabetes. Screening GTT and HgA1c values were similar. Mean gestational age at randomization was 0.73 weeks later for the placebo arm (p= 0.03). Mean cumulative insulin requirements for the intervention period were lower for the cinnamon group (9.3 U/kg cinnamon vs 12.0 U/kg placebo), although nonsignificant secondary to a high proportion of noninsulin-requiring diabetics in both groups. The proportion of patients requiring more than 2 SDs above mean insulin requirements was less for the cinnamon group (0% cinnamon vs 12% placebo, p = 0.07), with a trend towards significance. The need for insulin was nonsignificantly higher for the cinnamon group (53.85% cinnamon vs 44% placebo, p= 0.58). Time to initiation of insulin was similar for both groups (p=0.58). In summary, this pilot study shows a trend towards decreased insulin requirements for people with gestational diabetes treated with cinnamon. Further trials are needed with higher amounts of cinnamon.