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Cinnamon

PCOS patients receiving abstract of cinnamon

Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules, which would be taken orally before each meal, for a total of 1,500mg/day for 6 months.

Cinnamon Extract

Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Placebo

Rogerio Lobo, MD

The primary purpose of this follow-up study is to determine if cinnamon can restore menstrual cyclicity in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) subjects with oligomenorrhea. As a secondary purpose, the investigators intend to confirm the salutatory effect of cinnamon on insulin resistance in larger group of study subjects.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a very common condition found in women of childbearing age. PCOS patients often have irregular periods, extra hair growth, or difficulty becoming pregnant. The syndrome can also be associated with more serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer of the uterus. Although no one knows the cause of the syndrome, scientific studies showed that having too much insulin can be one of the reasons. In fact, almost every overweight woman with PCOS has been found to have high insulin levels.

Recently studies using rats and mice have shown that a commonly used spice, cinnamon, may also reduce the body's insulin level. Another study showed that daily use of cinnamon for forty days lowered the blood sugar level in patients with diabetes. Our own study also showed that using cinnamon everyday for 8 weeks decreased insulin resistance in women with PCOS. The purpose of this study is to see if cinnamon can help women with PCOS have more regular periods.

All patients will eat a balanced diet containing 1800 calories per day, but half of the patients in the study will take pre-made cinnamon extract pills three times a day, while the other half will take placebo pills (pills with no cinnamon extract) three times a day for 6 months. During this time, every patient will keep track of her period on a calendar.

Blood tests measuring insulin, substances important for insulin action, cholesterol, and glucose (sugar) will be taken before and after the 6 months of medication. A total of 8 separate visits will be needed to finish the study. At the end of the study, the investigators will then compare the number of periods, blood glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels between the patients that took cinnamon and the patients that took placebo.

Cinnamon Extract on Menstrual Cycles in PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

The Effects of Oral Cinnamon Extract on Menstrual Cyclicity in PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome

Ovulatory cycles will be confirmed by serum progesterone levels.

The changes in insulin resistance parameters in overweight patients with PCOS between baseline and after 6 months of daily cinnamon compared to the corresponding change in patients receiving 6 months of placebo. Higher values of insulin resistance represent a worse outcome. A higher value Homeostasis Model of Insulin Resistance indicates more insulin resistance so higher values are worse outcomes (a score of \>2 is considered healthy for adults with scores \>5 being considered severe insulin resistance). For the Quant. Insulin Sensitivity Check Index, a lower value indicates more insulin resistance so lower values are worse outcomes (values can range from .45, which is considered normal in health individuals and .30, which is characteristic of diabetes).

Change in Glucose Response - area under the curve (AUC), trapezoidal method - in overweight patients with PCOS between baseline and after 6 months of daily cinnamon compared to the corresponding change in patient receiving 6 months of placebo. Fasting blood samples were drawn followed by a 2 hour glucose tolerance test with blood draws at 30, 60, and 120min post glucose ingestion.

Integrity Nutraceuticals International

Rogerio A. Lobo

Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

PCOS patients receiving extract of cinnamon

Cinnamon Extract: Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules, which would be taken orally before each meal, for a total of 1,500mg/day for 6 months.

Cinnamon Extract Arm

PCOS patients receiving placebo capsules

Placebo: Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Placebo Arm

Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules

Cinnamon Extract: Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules, which would be taken orally before each meal, for a total of 1,500mg/day for 6 months.

Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Placebo: Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Total

Age, Continuous

Sex: Female, Male

Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)

United States

Region of Enrollment

High percentage of patients lost to follow up

Roger A. Lobo M.D.

Baseline

Study Period

Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules

Cinnamon Extract: Purified aqueous abstract of cinnamon in 125mg capsules, which would be taken orally before each meal, for a total of 1,500mg/day for 6 months.

Baseline (no. of cycles/month) 0.42 Study period (no. of cycles/month) 0.75 Change during study +/- cycles/month +0.23

Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Placebo: Placebo capsules containing ground cereal.

Baseline (no. of cycles/month) 0.42 Study period (no. of cycles/month) 0.25 Change during study +/- cycles/month -0.13

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for cinnamon extract