Too much cinnamon can be harmful to some
PEOPLE'S PHARMACY
I've heard that too much cinnamon can be harmful, but what is the acceptable limit? I eat two tablespoons on my cereal each morning.
Some cinnamon (Chinese or cassia cinnamon) contains a compound, coumarin. In excess, this can harm the liver of sensitive people. It also may interact with blood thinners such as Coumadin (warfarin) to increase the risk of bleeding.
Two tablespoons of cinnamon daily is a very big dose. You should have your liver enzymes checked when you see your doctor. People who use cinnamon to help lower blood sugar take one-quarter to one-half of a teaspoon before meals.
Cassia cinnamon is not labeled with the amount of coumarin it contains, making it hard to know what dose one is getting.
I just read that grapefruit increases the risk of breast cancer. What gives?
One study showed that grapefruit raises estrogen levels in post-menopausal women. Higher estrogen is associated with greater risk of breast cancer.
Another study reported that women who regularly ate grapefruit were 30% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer (British Journal of Cancer, July 10, 2007). Other researchers have found no grapefruit-breast cancer connection (British Journal of Cancer, Jan. 8).
Grapefruit interacts with many medications and can increase the risk of side effects.
Joe Graedon, a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon, an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition, can be reached at www.peoplespharmacy.com or care of this newspaper.
