Cinnamon is more than a spice that makes apple or pumpkin pie tasty. Research in animals and humans suggests that it may help control blood sugar spikes after meals. It also appears to help lower triglycerides and cholesterol. Some research makes us wonder if cinnamon could make you smarter.
Will Cinnamon Make You Smarter?
Some scientists suspect that cinnamon may have beneficial effects on cognitive function. Researchers reviewed 40 studies of cinnamon or active components of cinnamon bark (Nutritional Neuroscience, Jan. 18, 2023). Like the study described in more detail below, the majority were conducted in animals. A handful were test tube studies, though, and two were clinical trials.
One study conducted in teenagers showed improved memory and reduced anxiety when the adolescents chewed cinnamon-based gum for more than a month. The study in older adults did not indicate any change in cognitive function traceable to cinnamon.
Animal studies overall supported the potential for cinnamon to enhance learning and memory. The authors concluded, “Most studies reported that cinnamon might be useful for preventing and reducing cognitive function impairment.” However, they pointed out the need for more studies on this topic.
Research in Mice Shows a Brain Boost from Cinnamon:
Years ago, scientists published a fascinating study showing that mice who learn slowly can improve their performance if they get cinnamon in their chow (Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, online June 24, 2016). At the start of the study, the investigators were able to distinguish between quick learners that solved a maze problem in about a minute and slow learners that took more than twice as long.
Cinnamon-Flavored Chow Helps Slow Mice Learn Faster:
After a month of cinnamon-laced chow, the slow learners caught up. The scientists believe that this benefit is due to sodium benzoate, a breakdown product of cinnamon. This common compound stimulates the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain. It also improved the structural integrity of brain cells.
Mice are not humans, and little clinical research suggests people would learn faster if they spiced their food with cinnamon. There are plenty of caveats before you do a self-experiment to get an answer to the question: could cinnamon make you smarter?
Possible Cinnamon Side Effects:
Cinnamon can cause allergic reactions that lead to irritation of the lips or mouth. Excess cinnamon consumption could also put a strain on the liver. That is because cassia cinnamon, the most common variety in the spice rack, contains coumarin. Too much coumarin can be harmful, so we’ll need to wait for more research to find out if cinnamon will boost human cognitive performance as well as that of mice. If it turns out that cinnamon can make you smarter, that will be one more benefit of this versatile spice. If so, it will be important to utilize a safe formulation free from coumarin.
