How to take Cinnamon

[Lexibelle]

I've searched through the forums but haven't had a lot of luck.

I've started taking Cinnamon (up to 1500mg/day) and was wondering what sort of dosing schedule should I be following? Should it all be taken at the same time or spread out over multiple doses, with each meal? If so, how do you handle it when you're taking an odd number of pills (let's say when I bump up to 2000mg ... that's 4 pills).

I'm sorry if this is a silly questions, I just really want to take it so I get the best benefit from it.

TIA for the help!

[mdub]

I take it twice a day, two pills. my pills are 1000mg each. I take it with breakfast and dinner. I think you should spread it out since from what I understand its a fairly "instantaneous" thing. It doesn't stay all day in your system. I'd recommend taking it at breakfast, lunch and dinner and taking 2 with the biggest meal. Also, make sure you work up slowly or you can get hypoglycemic symptoms!

[dixiegirl]

so then it's ok to take cinnamon along with met along with fish oil along with complex-b vitamins???

[slightly]

Here's info on how to take cinnamon, this FAQ was written by our own cinnamon queen - sweetsunshine72. if you have more specific questions, she's happy to help anytime. and yes, i take cinnamon along with all my other stuff.

http://www.pcosupport.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14666

[Sherri]

I tried cinnamon for a couple of months but had major hypoglycemic symptoms at only 1000 mg. I've stopped taking it altogether and am feeling better, but am also right back where I started. Has anyone had good results at a lower dose (500 mg)? At this point, maybe I'll just try to use more cinnamon in my regular diet. I don't know if BMI has anything to do with it, but I'm pretty average, 5'7" 140s (fluctuates). Also nursing and that takes calories/energy so maybe that would contribute to the hypoglycemic reactions? Before the baby, I took Met (unfortunately my re won't rx Met, or even treat my PCOS at all, while nursing) and could only tolerate 1000 mg, also b/c of hypoglycemic reactions.

[Gen224]

Sherri--

nursing DEFINITELY has the ability to muck with how you metabolise sugar and/or insulin. Absolutely! It's said that a nursing mom should eat an extra 500 calories per day just to maintain her weight--creating milk is a lot of work. ;)

As far as hypoglycemia, I have recently *lowered* my dose of cinnamon successfully. :) I consider it a huge victory, as it means that I'm controlling my insulin successfully.

I now take 500mg at each meal, unless it's an usually high-carb meal. For example, I was at my inlaw's last week and my MIL doesn't cook low-carb. :o So I ate what I could and avoided what I could and for some meals, took 1000mg.

I've been following "intuitive eating" with success, added biotin and chromium to the regimen, and begun doing 5Ks. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, something's working. I'm not complaining and I'm not asking too many questions. ;)

I'd say if you're eating higher-carb while nursing and not having bad s/e, then don't muck with it. Low carb while nursing isn't good for your baby, and it might be that if you're eating moderate carbs and nursing at the same time, your body is working on its insulin levels on its own and doesn't need the help of cinnamon until you're done nursing. :)

HTH

[sancynicole]

Has anyone coughed or burped cinnamon clouds? I am always coughing and stuff and don't want this to happen in public... I read that it happens and was just wondering if anyone has experienced that? I'm getting some cinnamon tommorrow and want to make sure: I am supposed to get 500mg. capsules and start with one with breakfast and alot of fluid, and then after a week add another 500 mg. capsule with dinner and so on, right?

[Lexibelle]

Has anyone coughed or burped cinnamon clouds? I am always coughing and stuff and don't want this to happen in public... I read that it happens and was just wondering if anyone has experienced that? I'm getting some cinnamon tommorrow and want to make sure: I am supposed to get 500mg. capsules and start with one with breakfast and alot of fluid, and then after a week add another 500 mg. capsule with dinner and so on, right?

First, I've had the Cinnamon burp once, and it was my own fault. I didn't drink enough liquid with it. I've found that I need to drink 16oz of water in a short amount of time (like 10 minutes?) after I take the cinnamon. It's what's worked best for me to dissolve it.

And it sounds like you've got the directions for taking it right. :) I've finally gotten up to 1000mg/meal. Good luck!

[sancynicole]

Thanks! And what exactly will this help with: IR, Weight loss, etc??

[TraderTif]

Does anyone have advice for those of us who are buying it at the grocery store and trying to eat it in our food? I cannot swallow capsules.....and I really, really HATE cinnamon. But I've managed to get to about 2 teaspoons a day (1 in my morning oatmeal, 1 in some evening applesauce.)

I'd like to increase a little bit.....but I don't know what else to add it to? And I don't want to add more to the oatmeal or applesauce, because I can barely get them down now, lol. :shock:

Tif

[Ocho2002]

I take the capsules, so I don't really know, but maybe add it to cofee/tea, baked apples? Its hard, because as a spice, its usually used sparingly and mixed with sugar to sweeten it and give it a decent texture.

[TraderTif]

Thanks! It's actually wonderful in baked apples, and I've figured out how to make cinnamon toast. (low-carb bread)

I think I'm taking a good amount now. But does anyone know how long it might take to see results? I do feel a little better on it, so I'm gonna keep taking it, but I'm not seeing any improvement in my menstrual irregularities.....(yet)