The 2 Best Reasons to Use Cinnamon for PCOS

Guest post by Robyn Srigley

Cinnamon is a very common spice, and probably one of my favorites. I sprinkle it on everything- from smoothies and chia pudding to grain-free granola and healthy desserts. It has such a pleasant, warming flavor that’s really hard to beat!

Interestingly, cinnamon’s uses extend beyond flavoring your delicious eats. It could actually be beneficial for PCOS!

There are two main reasons for this that have been studied and noted clinically.

Reason #1: Blood Sugar Control

As you may be aware, blood sugar and insulin control is extremely important for managing PCOS in a healthy way. Your doctor may have prescribed a drug called Metformin, which is supposed to help in this area. Of course being a holistic nutritionist, I’m all about using nature first before resorting to drugs, and cinnamon could be the answer!

Cinnamon has quite a history of regulating blood sugar response in the body. In one 2007 study of 15 women with PCOS, significant reductions in insulin resistance were seen after taking cinnamon for just 8 weeks!

Reducing insulin resistance is super helpful for regulating menstrual cycles which are often unpredictable or absent in women with PCOS. A 2014 study suggests that using cinnamon improves menstrual cyclicity. This study used 1.5g of a cinnamon supplement per day for 6 months. Finding a product and using a similar dosage to the one in the study could be a good place to start in using cinnamon for PCOS.

New research indicates that cinnamon taken with a quality probiotic may have an even larger impact on PCOS symptoms. To learn more read, “Cinnamon & Probiotics Team-up to Control Blood Sugar“.

Reason #2: Progesterone Management

Low progesterone is most definitely common in women with PCOS, as our bodies tend to produce more estrogen, testosterone, DHEAS and cortisol instead. Progesterone gets pushed down to the end of the hormone production line because all the base parts are used for the other hormones! Sometimes this is known as the progesterone steal, and can create a number of symptoms.

Some symptoms of progesterone deficiency include:
• long, irregular cycles
• short luteal phase (the phase right before your period comes)
• mid-cycle spotting
• menstrual cramps
• anxiety and depression
• acne
• fatigue
• foggy thinking
• bloating
• slow metabolism

So, how can cinnamon possibly help with this myriad of symptoms?

One study has outlined that cinnamon can help to increase progesterone production in our adrenal glands, while also reducing the amount of testosterone our adrenals produce- double win! This is through the action of cinnamaldehyde, a component of the cassia type of cinnamon.

Take a look, and think about whether cinnamon might be a good option for you as part of your PCOS management lifestyle.

This article does not intend to treat or diagnose disease it is meant to generate awareness and promote health education and prevention.

Robyn Srigley is The Hormone Diva, holistic nutritionist and women’s holistic health coach. Robyn’s own journey with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) jumpstarted her passion for helping women replace their anxieties with joy to open possibility in their lives and break free of hormonal imbalance. Robyn runs a successful 1-1 coaching and online program practice where she uses diet, movement, botanicals and a self-love lifestyle to transform the lives of women with PCOS, Endometriosis, PMS and much more. You can find out more about her work at www.thehormonediva.com