Drug & supplement interaction

Ceylon Cinnamon + Insulin (Human)

Insulin (Human) brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza.

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

Ceylon Cinnamon has a moderate interaction with Insulin (Human). Theoretically, Ceylon cinnamon may have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.

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

Ceylon Cinnamon and Insulin (Human)

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Insulin (Human)

Insulin (Human) falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Ceylon Cinnamon interacts with.

Theoretically, Ceylon cinnamon may have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs.
Ceylon cinnamon may lower blood glucose levels. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

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 simple version: Ceylon cinnamon may gently nudge your blood sugar lower on its own. Since insulin already lowers your blood sugar, taking concentrated cinnamon supplements at the same time could add to that effect. In theory, that means your sugar could dip lower than expected, which can show up as shakiness, sweating, a fast heartbeat, confusion, or feeling lightheaded.

I want to be honest about the evidence, though. This interaction is mostly based on lab and animal studies, so it's more of a theoretical caution than a proven problem. A little cinnamon sprinkled on food is unlikely to cause trouble. If you're using a daily supplement, keep an eye on your readings and let your doctor or pharmacist know so they can watch your numbers and adjust your insulin if needed.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Anderson RA, Broadhurst CL, Polansky MM, et al. Isolation and Characterization of Polyphenol Type-A Polymers from Cinnamon with Insulin-like Biological Activity. J Agric Food Chem 2004;52:65-70. PubMed
  2. Jarvill-Taylor KJ, Anderson RA, Graves DJ. A hydroxychalcone derived from cinnamon functions as a mimetic for insulin in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. J Am Coll Nutr 2001;20:327-36. PubMed
  3. Onderoglu S, Sozer S, Erbil KM, et al. The evaluation of long-term effcts of cinnamon bark and olive leaf on toxicity induced by streptozotocin administration to rats. J Pharm Pharmacol 1999;51:1305-12.

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

Ceylon Cinnamon Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ceylon Cinnamon has 257 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Insulin (Human) one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 257 No known interaction 2,573 (incl. Insulin (Human))
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Ceylon Cinnamon

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

From our Q&A

Questions About Ceylon Cinnamon or Insulin (Human)

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Ceylon Cinnamon or Insulin (Human), not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Insulin (Human)

This page covers Ceylon Cinnamon only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Insulin (Human) page lists 259 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Chelation Therapy Products (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Acai (moderate) and African Wild Potato (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 218 moderate · 38 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Insulin (Human) page

“With human insulin (Novolin, Afrezza), extra glucose lowering is not a nuisance, it is the hazard itself, and this is one of the lists I treat as genuinely serious. Nearly every ingredient here either drops blood sugar on its own or adds to insulin's effect, and the combination can push a normal dose into hypoglycemia, a dangerous low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Insulin (Human) interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 362 real supplement products containing Ceylon Cinnamon, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Ceylon Cinnamon. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Insulin (Human) too, on top of Ceylon 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 Ceylon Cinnamon and Insulin (Human) 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 Ceylon Cinnamon
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Insulin (Human)
Top 10%

#213 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 Ceylon Cinnamon

What is Ceylon Cinnamon?

Ceylon Cinnamon
  • Blood sugar support
  • High cholesterol
  • Indigestion and gas
  • Antimicrobial
  • General flavoring and culinary use

Ceylon cinnamon is the so-called 'true' cinnamon, valued as a spice and used in traditional medicine for blood sugar, cholesterol, and digestion. Evidence for most health benefits is limited and mixed, but as a food it is generally safe and contains far less coumarin than common cassia cinnamon. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before taking concentrated supplements, especially if you have a health condition or take medications.

Read the full Ceylon Cinnamon monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Human Insulin Injection

What Is Human Insulin Injection Used For?

Brand names: Novolin N, Novolin 70/30, Novolin R, Novolin L, Afrezza

Novolin (human insulin injection) is used to improve glycemic control — meaning blood sugar management — in adults and children with diabetes mellitus.

Novolin 70/30 is a fixed-ratio mixture of intermediate-acting and short-acting human insulin. Because the ratio is fixed, it cannot be adjusted separately for background (basal) or mealtime (prandial) needs.

See full Human Insulin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ceylon Cinnamon

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

0Major
257Moderate
0Minor
2,572No known interaction
257 Moderate 2,572 No interaction
Moderate

257 interactions

Showing 60 of 257 moderate interactions — see all 257 on the Ceylon Cinnamon page.

No interaction 2,572 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,572 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Ceylon Cinnamon list.

See the full Ceylon Cinnamon interactions page
See every supplement checked against Insulin (Human), 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
Ceylon Cinnamon monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Insulin (Human) supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Insulin (Human), ranked by severity Human Insulin 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 Ceylon Cinnamon and Insulin (Human) Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ceylon Cinnamon with Insulin (Human)?
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 Ceylon Cinnamon and Insulin (Human) 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 (Human) and Ceylon 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.