Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Powder
Also known as: Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, true cinnamon, cinnamon bark powder
The ground inner bark of Cinnamomum verum, the Sri Lankan species preferred for supplements because it contains far less coumarin than cassia cinnamon. It is used in blood-sugar and metabolic formulas; a meta-analysis of randomized trials using 120 mg to 6 g per day of cinnamon found reductions in fasting glucose and several lipid measures. Most trials used cassia, so results are extrapolated to Ceylon, which is chosen mainly for its safety profile at gram-level doses.
Research summary
Cinnamon polyphenols, including type-A polymers, are associated with improved insulin signaling and slowed gastric carbohydrate absorption.
Dosage
Daily amounts, of compound.
| Lowest studied | Typical range | Highest studied | Upper limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 mg | 1,000–3,000 mg | 6,000 mg | — |
1 to 3 g per day of bark powder with meals; trials ranged from 120 mg to 6 g per day over 4 to 18 weeks. Ceylon is preferred over cassia at these amounts because of its low coumarin content. Effects on glucose develop over weeks.
Source material: dried inner bark powder
Forms of Cinnamon
| Form | Typical dose | Element % | Formats | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceylon Cinnamon Bark Powder | 1,000–3,000 mg | — | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy | low |
| Cinnamon Water Extract (Cinnulin PF) | 250–500 mg | — | Capsule, Powder, Tablet, Gummy, Liquid | high |
Format suitability
- Capsule
- Powder
- Tablet
- Softgel
- Gummy
- Liquid
Pleasant, sweet-spicy flavor that works well in powders and gummies; capsule counts get high above 1 g.
Formulation notes
Verify species on the certificate of analysis, since cassia is often substituted. May add to glucose-lowering effects of berberine or medications.
Sources
Related ingredients
Black Seed Oil (Nigella sativa)
Fatty acidBlack seed oil is cold-pressed from Nigella sativa seeds, a spice with a long history of traditional use across the Middle East and South Asia.
Typical: 500–2,000 mg
CoQ10 (Ubiquinone)
AntioxidantCoenzyme Q10 in its oxidized form, ubiquinone, is the standard, most-studied CoQ10 ingredient.
Typical: 100–300 mg
Berberine HCl
BotanicalAn isoquinoline alkaloid isolated from plants such as barberry, goldenseal, and Coptis, supplied as the hydrochloride salt.
Typical: 900–1,500 mg
Green Tea Extract (50% EGCG)
BotanicalA leaf extract of Camellia sinensis concentrated for catechins, especially EGCG, with a small amount of naturally occurring caffeine.
Typical: 300–500 mg
Vitamin E (d-Alpha-Tocopheryl Succinate)
VitaminThe succinate ester of natural (RRR or d-) alpha-tocopherol, the one vitamin E form the body maintains in plasma and the form on which the RDA is based.
Typical: 67–268 mg