Cinnamon intake can cure irregular menstrual cycles and infertility in women, a small study by Columbia University Medical Center states.
The researchers studied 16 women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common condition that causes infertility. Of these 11 women were given 1,500-milligram cinnamon tablets daily and the rest were on placebo.
The results showed that women taking cinnamon tablets had an average of around four menstrual cycles for six months of the study. Those on placebo had just nearly 2.2 periods in the same time-frame. Further, two women taking cinnamon became pregnant without any treatment.
"There is a lot of interest in homeopathic or natural remedies for this condition," study author Dr Daniel Kort, a postdoctoral fellow in reproductive endocrinology at the medical center, told HealthDay. "This may be something we can do using a totally natural substance that can help a large group of patients." However, the reasons behind the impact of cinnamon on fertility and menstrual cycles are unclear, according to Dr Kort.
Also, according to previous research, cinnamon improves glucose and insulin production and reduces insulin resistance among diabetic patients.
In the U.S., nearly five to 10 percent of women suffer from PCOS. Most health experts believe the condition is genetic but some are of the opinion that it is caused due to insulin insensitivity. This means that obese or overweight women are likely to get PCOS. This condition causes menstrual irregularity, infertility, acne, excess hair growth on the face or body, and thinning scalp hair.
