NOW Cinnamon Bark
The safest, gentlest entry point for blood sugar supplementation. Best used as part of a broader approach rather than a standalone solution — but at this price and safety profile, there's little reason not to include it.
- Uses Ceylon cinnamon — much safer for long-term use than cassia
- Very affordable at under $0.15 per day
- Excellent tolerability — minimal side effects reported
- Can be combined with berberine or chromium for broader support
- Weakest clinical evidence among major blood sugar supplements
- Effect size is modest — not effective as a standalone solution
- Requires two capsules daily to reach clinically studied doses
NOW Cinnamon Bark delivers 600mg of Ceylon cinnamon per capsule at under $0.15 per day — making it one of the most affordable and gentlest blood sugar supplements available. The clinical evidence behind cinnamon is more modest than berberine or chromium, but the safety profile is excellent, and Ceylon cinnamon avoids the coumarin concerns that make long-term cassia cinnamon use risky. For adults over 50 who want a low-risk addition to their blood sugar support routine, this is a sensible starting point.
What Is NOW Cinnamon Bark?
Cinnamon has been used medicinally for thousands of years, and modern research has identified specific compounds — particularly cinnamaldehyde and type-A polymers — that may influence how your body processes glucose. These compounds appear to improve insulin sensitivity by mimicking insulin’s action on cells and may slow the breakdown of carbohydrates in the digestive tract, reducing post-meal blood sugar spikes.
NOW Foods has been manufacturing supplements since 1968 and is one of the most established natural products companies in the United States. Their cinnamon supplement specifically uses Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) — a critical distinction in this category.
Most cinnamon sold in grocery stores and used in cheaper supplements is cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia). While both varieties contain the bioactive compounds relevant to blood sugar, cassia contains dramatically higher levels of coumarin — a naturally occurring compound that, at high doses, can damage the liver. The European Food Safety Authority has set a tolerable daily intake for coumarin at 0.1mg per kilogram of body weight. A single cassia cinnamon supplement capsule can easily approach or exceed this threshold. Ceylon cinnamon contains only trace amounts of coumarin, making it appropriate for daily long-term use.
What’s Inside
Each capsule contains 600mg of Ceylon cinnamon bark powder (Cinnamomum verum) in a cellulose (vegetable) capsule. Other ingredients include cellulose powder and magnesium stearate (a standard flow agent).
NOW Foods products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities and undergo independent quality testing. While NOW doesn’t carry the NSF or USP seals that premium brands like Thorne offer, they are a well-established brand with a solid reputation for label accuracy.
What the Research Says
A 2013 meta-analysis published in the Annals of Family Medicine analyzed 10 randomized controlled trials involving 543 patients with type 2 diabetes. The pooled results showed that cinnamon supplementation reduced fasting blood glucose by an average of 24.6 mg/dL — a statistically significant result.
However, the practical significance requires context. A 24.6 mg/dL reduction is meaningful if your fasting glucose is 130 mg/dL (bringing it closer to the normal range), but it’s a modest shift compared to what berberine or prescription medications achieve. The same meta-analysis also noted significant reductions in total cholesterol, LDL, and triglycerides, with an increase in HDL — suggesting broader metabolic benefits.
Earlier research, including a 2003 study by Khan et al. published in Diabetes Care, found that 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon daily reduced fasting glucose by 18-29% in people with type 2 diabetes. While these percentages sound impressive, the absolute changes were modest, and subsequent studies have produced mixed results.
The honest assessment: cinnamon has real but limited blood sugar effects. It is not powerful enough to manage diabetes on its own, and the clinical evidence is weaker and less consistent than what exists for berberine, chromium, or alpha-lipoic acid. Where cinnamon adds value is as part of a broader strategy — combining it with dietary changes, exercise, and potentially a stronger supplement like berberine.
One area where cinnamon shows particular promise is reducing post-meal blood sugar spikes. Several studies suggest that cinnamon slows gastric emptying and carbohydrate digestion, which blunts the sharp glucose rise after eating. Taking cinnamon with meals — especially carbohydrate-heavy meals — may help smooth out blood sugar responses throughout the day.
Who Is This Best For?
NOW Cinnamon Bark is an especially strong fit if you:
- Want a gentle, low-risk starting point — cinnamon has an excellent safety profile and minimal side effects, making it ideal if you’re cautious about starting supplements
- Prefer a complementary approach — cinnamon works well alongside berberine or chromium for broader support
- Are focused on post-meal blood sugar spikes — the evidence for blunting carbohydrate-driven glucose spikes is among cinnamon’s strongest claims
- Want the most affordable option — at under $8 for a 120-count bottle, cost is essentially a non-factor
If you want meaningful blood sugar support from a single supplement, berberine has a much stronger evidence base. But as a safe, affordable add-on to a comprehensive approach, Ceylon cinnamon earns its place.
How to Take It
Take one capsule (600mg) twice daily with meals, for a total of 1,200mg per day. This dose falls within the range used in clinical trials showing positive results (500-3,000mg daily). Taking cinnamon with meals is preferred — both for absorption and because the potential benefit of slowing carbohydrate digestion is most relevant when carbohydrates are present.
Ceylon cinnamon is well-tolerated by most people. Potential side effects are uncommon but may include mild digestive discomfort or, rarely, allergic reactions in those sensitive to cinnamon. Unlike cassia cinnamon, Ceylon does not carry meaningful coumarin-related liver risk at supplement doses.
Interactions to watch: Cinnamon may modestly enhance the effects of diabetes medications, so inform your doctor if you take metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin. The interaction risk is lower than with berberine or chromium, but medical awareness is still appropriate. Cinnamon may also have mild blood-thinning effects — inform your doctor if you take warfarin or other anticoagulants.
Always consult your doctor before starting cinnamon supplementation for blood sugar support, especially if you take diabetes medications or blood thinners.
The Bottom Line
NOW Cinnamon Bark offers the safest, most affordable entry into blood sugar supplementation. The clinical evidence is honest-but-modest — cinnamon won’t transform your blood sugar readings, but it may contribute a meaningful piece to the puzzle, particularly for post-meal glucose control. The use of Ceylon cinnamon over cassia makes this safe for long-term daily use without coumarin concerns. At under $8 per bottle, the question isn’t whether it’s worth trying — it’s whether you’re also addressing the diet, exercise, and lifestyle factors that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Ceylon and cassia cinnamon?
Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), sometimes called 'true cinnamon,' contains negligible amounts of coumarin — a compound that can stress the liver at high doses. Cassia cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia), which is what most grocery stores sell as 'cinnamon,' contains 63 to 379 times more coumarin than Ceylon. For daily supplementation at capsule-level doses, Ceylon is the safer long-term choice. The European Food Safety Authority has established a tolerable daily intake for coumarin of 0.1mg per kg of body weight — a level that cassia cinnamon supplements can easily exceed.
How much cinnamon should I take for blood sugar support?
Clinical trials have used doses ranging from 500mg to 6,000mg daily, with most positive results seen at 1,000-3,000mg per day. NOW's capsules provide 600mg each, so two capsules (1,200mg) puts you squarely in the studied range. Taking cinnamon with meals — particularly carbohydrate-rich meals — is the approach used in most studies, as cinnamon may slow carbohydrate digestion and the resulting blood sugar spike.
Can cinnamon supplements replace diabetes medication?
No. Cinnamon has the most modest clinical evidence of the major blood sugar supplements, and its effects are too small and inconsistent to serve as a medication replacement. Think of cinnamon as one tool among many — diet, exercise, and medical treatment do the heavy lifting, and cinnamon may provide a small additional benefit. Never adjust diabetes medication based on cinnamon supplementation without your doctor's explicit guidance.