SIDE EFFECTS OF TOO MUCH CINNAMON

Yes, you read it right. Consumption of an excessive amount of cinnamon can have some side effects and sometimes it creates serious health problems. In this blog, we will learn about the major side effects and how can we avoid them to lead a healthy and happy life.

Cinnamon is a popular spice that has been linked to some impressive health benefits. Cassia cinnamon, the type you find in the supermarket, is safe to eat in small to moderate amounts eating too much may cause side effects and health problems.

So, we are looking at five possible side effects of eating too much Cassia cinnamon.

It may cause liver damage.

Cassia, or regular cinnamon, is a rich source of coumarin. It contains approximately five milligrams of coumarin per teaspoon, while Ceylon cinnamon (Sri Lankan Cinnamon) only contains trace amounts. The recommended daily coumarin limit is approximately 0.1 milligrams per kilo of body weight or five milligrams per day for a 60-kilo person. This can be concluded that just 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of Cassia cinnamon could be a safe amount to include in the daily limit. Many studies have shown that consuming too much coumarin may lead to liver toxicity and damage. For example, a 75-year-old person developed a sudden liver infection causing liver damage after taking cinnamon supplements for only a week. However, this case involved supplements that provided a higher dose than you would get from diet alone.

It may interact with certain medications.

Cinnamon is safe to eat in small to moderate amounts alongside most medications. However, taking too much may be an issue if you are taking medication for diabetes, heart disease, or liver disease. This is because cinnamon may interact with those medicines either enhancing their effects or intensifying their side effects.

For example, Medicine that can affect the liver such as Paracetamol or statin drugs, then too much cinnamon could increase your risk of liver damage.

It may cause low blood sugar.

Cinnamon has this well-known ability to temporarily lower blood sugar. Some studies have found that cinnamon can mimic the effects of insulin. It means eating too much cinnamon may cause blood sugar to fall too low. This is hypoglycaemia. People who are most at risk of experiencing low blood sugar are those who are taking medicine for diabetes.

It may cause mouth sores.

Some people have a complaint or experienced mouth sores from eating too much cinnamon. Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde, which is a compound that may trigger or cause an allergic reaction when consumed in large amounts. Small amounts of the spice do not seem to cause this reaction, as saliva present in the mouth prevents chemicals from staying in contact with the mouth for too long. Other symptoms of a cinnamaldehyde allergy include tongue or gum swelling, a burning or itching sensation, and white patches in the mouth. Though these symptoms are not necessarily serious, they can surely cause discomfort. Cinnamaldehyde will only cause mouth sores if any person is allergic to it. Anyone can get tested for this type of allergy with a simple patch test on skin.

It may increase the risk of cancer.

Animal studies indicate that eating excess amounts of coumarin can increase the danger of certain sorts of cancer. For instance, studies in rodents have found it can lead to developing cancerous tumours in the lungs, liver, and kidneys. How coumarin may cause tumours is unclear, though. That is a long stretch to say that the same effects could occur in humans, based on those studies. But it is an interesting finding, nevertheless. After all, supplementation means that you are taking that substance in what is usually a very unnaturally large and concentrated amount.