Warning as popular kitchen cupboard ingredient could make common life-saving drugs ‘less effective’

A POPULAR spice could be meddling with how your body processes prescription drugs, scientists have warned.

People with chronic health conditions have been urged to “be cautious” when using cinnamon, as the popular kitchen ingredient could make certain medicines “less effective”.

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 Researchers at the University of Mississippi investigated how cinnamaldehyde, cinnamon’s main active compound, behaves in the body. 

Their findings suggest while the spice is safe in small doses, higher concentrations could affect how some medicines are processed.

The study demonstrated that cinnamaldehyde can activate receptors that may accelerate the breakdown of certain medications, potentially reducing their effectiveness.

“Health concerns could arise if excessive amounts of supplements are consumed without the knowledge of health care provider or prescriber of the medications,” said Shabana Khan, a principal scientist involved in the study.

“Overconsumption of supplements could lead to a rapid clearance of the prescription medicine from the body, and that could result in making the medicine less effective.”

The study found cinnamon oil poses almost no risk of drug interactions.

But cinnamon bark, particularly Cassia cinnamon that’s found in supermarkets as ground cinnamon, contains high levels of coumarin – a blood thinner.

“In contrast, true cinnamon from Sri Lanka carries a lower risk due to its reduced coumarin content,” said Amar Chittiboyina, an associate director at the university.

“Coumarin’s anticoagulant properties can be hazardous for individuals on blood thinners.”

Billy Gurley, a principle scientist at the university and co-author of the study, said more research is needed to fully understand how cinnamon might interact with certain drugs.

“We know there’s a potential for cinnamaldehyde to activate these receptors that can pose a risk for drug interactions,” he said.

“That’s what could happen, but we won’t know exactly what will happen until we do a clinical study.”

Cinnamon has been linked to several potential health benefits, including managing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, protecting against heart disease, and potentially improving memory. 

Those interested in using it as a dietary supplement should check with their doctor first.

“People who suffer from chronic diseases – like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, asthma, obesity, HIV, AIDS or depression – should be cautious when using cinnamon or any other supplements,” Khan said.

“Our best advice is to talk to a health care provider before using any supplements along with the prescription medicine.”