Cinnamon and Withania on Weight Loss

Effect on Weight Loss of an Oral Association of Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum Cassia) and Withania Somnifera in Adult Patients With Overweight or Obesity: a Randomized, Prospective, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter, Cross-over, Pilot Study

With the prevalence of obesity soaring and the absence of an effective and safe treatment that is low-cost and always feasible, the use of food supplements has gained attention for the potential benefits in the absence of significant safety concerns. Cinnamon (CC) and Withania somnifera (WS) are plant-based supplements reported to be effective in improving metabolic health and body composition, the first mainly acting on insulin resistance and the second on energy expenditure and leptin resistance, as shown in preclinical and some clinical studies. Their association, possibly synergistic leveraging different mechanisms of action, has never been studied. This was a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Patients with overweight or obesity were prescribed a mildly hypocaloric diet with CC 300 mg plus WS 150 mg tid for 4 weeks in a cross over design and anthropometric parameters together with safety outcomes were collected.

The study product, in a capsule formulation, was made by the extract of Cinnamomum cassia (CC) and Withania somnifera (WS) (300 mg+150mg, respectively) (Nutrintech Ltd., London, UK) to be taken three times a day. All patients received a mildly hypocaloric diet (i.e., -20% of the usual caloric intake as assessed by a 24-hour dietary recall).

Each patient took the placebo (i.e., the same amount of cellulose). All patients received a mildly hypocaloric diet (i.e., -20% of the usual caloric intake as assessed by a 24-hour dietary recall).

The study product, in a capsule formulation, was made by the extract of Cinnamomum cassia (CC) and Withania somnifera (WS) (300 mg+150mg, respectively) (Nutrintech Ltd., London, UK)

Inclusion Criteria: age range: 25-75 years overweight or obesity (BMI range: 26-35) Exclusion Criteria: heart failure congenital cardiomyopathies episodes of tachy/brady-arrythmias acute myocardial infarction within 3 months from the enrollment inability or unwillingness to provide informed consent pregnancy