Creatine Booster – Cinnamon Extract

By admin on Mar 04, 2010 in Supplements

One of the ingredients in my creatine product is Cinnulin PF. What is it, and what does it do?

Cinnulin PF is the trademarked name of a water-soluble cinnamon extract. The premise behind including cinnamon extract in creatine products is straightforward and well supported by science.

Most of the original research on creatine indicates that when it is consumed with simple sugars, such as glucose, it is absorbed at a significantly improved rate. There’s a reason for this. When large amounts of glucose are consumed, insulin levels rise dramatically. Elevated insulin levels ensure that more glucose and creatine are cleared out of the bloodstream and pumped into muscle tissues.

This seems like a simple solution to improve creatine absorption. However, it takes nearly 20 grams of glucose per gram of creatine to trigger an improvement in absorption. If such large amounts of sugar are consumed on a regular basis, insulin resistance could develop, diminishing the body’s ability to properly absorb essential nutrients. Severe insulin resistance, similar to type II diabetes, is something we all want to avoid. On top of that, people concerned about not gaining weight would be ill advised to consume 100 grams of simple sugars every day (except around workout time).

Taking all of this information into consideration, supplement companies searched for ingredients aside from simple sugars that could trigger the release of insulin to improve creatine absorption. This is where cinnamon extract comes into play. As with every herbal or plant-based ingredient, the active component is the main concern. Cinnamon’s active component is hydroxychalcone, sometimes referred to as methylhydroxychalcone.

Cinnamon extract (which contains high levels of hydroxychalcone) imitates the effects of insulin and potentiates the release of insulin from the pancreas. Additionally, cinnamon extract may enhance insulin binding in muscle cells, which could lead to better uptake of glucose, creatine and amino acids by muscle tissue. Improving glucose uptake promotes glucose utilization and, in turn, glycogen synthesis, which helps in recovery from intense exercise. Boosting amino acid uptake aids protein synthesis and muscle growth. Aside from its beneficial effects on insulin, cinnamon extract has also been shown to improve blood levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.

As scientific evidence builds for cinnamon extract, it will likely become a mainstay in a variety of dietary supplements, especially those that have low absorption rates. Look for creatine products that list Cinnulin PF and take as directed.