Drug & supplement interaction

Cassia Cinnamon + Insulin Degludec

Insulin Degludec brand name: Tresiba.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Cassia Cinnamon has a moderate interaction with Insulin Degludec. Theoretically, cassia cinnamon may have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Cassia Cinnamon and Insulin Degludec

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin Degludec

Insulin Degludec falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Cassia Cinnamon interacts with.

Theoretically, cassia cinnamon may have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.
Cassia cinnamon may lower blood glucose levels, and have additive effects in patients treated with antidiabetic agents. Dose adjustments to diabetes medications might be necessary.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the basic idea with cassia cinnamon and your Tresiba (insulin degludec). Cinnamon may gently nudge your blood sugar down on its own. Insulin degludec is a long-acting insulin whose whole job is also to lower blood sugar, so stacking the two could add up and push your numbers lower than you expect. That raises the chance of a low (hypoglycemia), which can show up as shakiness, sweating, a racing heart, confusion, or feeling lightheaded.

Honestly, the evidence here is on the weaker side and mostly theoretical, and the small amounts of cinnamon you sprinkle on food are very unlikely to matter. A daily high-dose supplement is where I'd pay attention. Please don't change your insulin on your own. Keep checking your sugars and loop in your pharmacist or doctor before starting a cinnamon supplement.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Khan A, Safdar M, Ali Khan M, et al. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2003;26:3215-8. PubMed
  2. Crawford P. Effectiveness of cinnamon for lowering hemoglobin A1C in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, controlled trial. J Am Board Fam Med 2009;22:507-12. PubMed
  3. Akilen, R., Tsiami, A., Devendra, D., and Robinson, N. Glycated haemoglobin and blood pressure-lowering effect of cinnamon in multi-ethnic Type 2 diabetic patients in the UK: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial. Diabet.Med. 2010; PubMed
  4. Lu T, Sheng H Wu J Cheng Y Zhu J Chen Y. Cinnamon extract improves fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin level in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutr Res. 2012;32(6):408-412. PubMed
  5. Stoecker BR, Zhan Z, Luo R, et al. Cinnamon extract lowers blood glucose in hyperglycemic subjects. FASEB J. 2010;22:722.1 (Abstract only). DOI

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Cassia Cinnamon Also Interacts With Other Medications

Cassia Cinnamon has 441 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin Degludec one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 441 No known interaction 2,389 (incl. Insulin Degludec)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Cassia Cinnamon

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Cassia Cinnamon. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin Degludec

This page covers Cassia Cinnamon only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin Degludec page lists 239 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate), African Wild Potato (moderate), Agaricus Mushroom (moderate) and Agmatine (moderate).

By severity: 1 major · 208 moderate · 30 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin Degludec page

“Insulin degludec (Tresiba) is a long-acting insulin meant to hold blood sugar steady around the clock, which means anything else that pushes glucose down can push it too far. That is the story for nearly all 239 ingredients on this page, and the list warrants genuine caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin Degludec interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Cassia Cinnamon as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 3,249 real supplement products containing Cassia Cinnamon, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Cassia Cinnamon. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin Degludec too, on top of Cassia Cinnamon — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Cassia Cinnamon and Insulin Degludec Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Cassia Cinnamon
Top 10%

#75 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin Degludec
Steady interest

#1,866 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Cassia Cinnamon

What is Cassia Cinnamon?

Cassia Cinnamon
  • Blood sugar support
  • Digestive upset
  • Antioxidant support
  • Flavoring and culinary use
  • Antimicrobial

Cassia cinnamon is the common, inexpensive cinnamon used in cooking, and it is also taken as a supplement, most often for blood sugar support. The evidence for its health benefits is mixed and far from proven, and because cassia is naturally high in coumarin, taking large amounts regularly may stress the liver. Use food amounts freely, but talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using high-dose supplements.

Read the full Cassia Cinnamon monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection

What Is Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection Used For?

Brand name: Tresiba

Insulin degludec (brands: Insulin Degludec, Tresiba) is indicated to improve glycemic control (blood sugar management) in patients 1 year of age and older with diabetes mellitus — both type 1 and type 2.

It is not recommended for treating diabetic ketoacidosis (a dangerous complication where acids build up in the blood). In patients with type 1 diabetes, it must be used together with a short-acting insulin.

See full Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Cassia Cinnamon

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Cassia Cinnamon — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
441Moderate
0Minor
2,388No known interaction
441 Moderate 2,388 No interaction
Moderate

441 interactions

Showing 60 of 441 moderate interactions — see all 441 on the Cassia Cinnamon page.

No interaction 2,388 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Cassia Cinnamon against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,388 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Cassia Cinnamon list.

See the full Cassia Cinnamon interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, ranked by severity
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Cassia Cinnamon monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin Degludec supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin Degludec, ranked by severity Insulin Degludec (rDNA Origin) Injection drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Cassia Cinnamon and Insulin Degludec Together: Common Questions

Can you take Cassia Cinnamon with Insulin Degludec?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Cassia Cinnamon and Insulin Degludec interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Insulin Degludec and Cassia Cinnamon?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.