Maybe a little, in supplement doses. Some reviews of small trials found cinnamon lowered CRP, a common inflammation marker, by about 1 to 2 points. Two umbrella reviews found the CRP drop was not clear. IL-6, another marker, fell slightly. Cassia cinnamon, the common kind, can hold enough coumarin to strain the liver.
Why people think cinnamon calms inflammation
Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices on the kitchen shelf. It is rich in plant compounds called polyphenols, and lab work has long pointed to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Researchers check inflammation with blood tests. CRP (C-reactive protein) is a protein used as a marker of inflammation. IL-6 (interleukin-6) is a messenger protein the body uses to drive it.
So the real question is simple. When people take cinnamon every day, do those numbers go down?
Does cinnamon reduce inflammation in the body?
The first pooled answer came in 2019. A meta-analysis, a study that combines the results of many studies, found 6 randomized trials with 285 people. CRP went down with cinnamon compared with the control groups.
Two umbrella reviews found cinnamon's effect on CRP fell just short of a clear result.From a 2023 meta-analysis in Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis
The drop was bigger in two situations. It was bigger when people started with high CRP, and in trials that ran longer than 12 weeks. The authors said the benefit showed up mostly in chronic conditions, where CRP was already raised.
A larger 2020 review pooled 12 trials. People took 1.5 to 4 grams of cinnamon powder a day, far more than a sprinkle on toast. CRP dropped by about 2.2 mg/L. IL-6 fell slightly, a result the authors called "marginally statistical significant." Another marker, ICAM-1, did not change.
A 2025 review of 49 studies also found CRP went down, along with blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Its authors called cinnamon a possible add-on to usual care, not a replacement.
The reviews that found no clear drop
Now the counterweight. An umbrella review is a review of reviews, a way to step back and see whether the earlier pooled results hold up when they are lined up side by side. Two of them looked at cinnamon.
The first, in 2023, pooled 11 meta-analyses. It found no significant effect on CRP. The result sat right at the edge, at p = 0.051, where 0.05 is the usual cutoff. The second, in 2024, came to the same answer for CRP. It did find small gains for IL-6 and blood pressure in people with metabolic disorders.
Its authors were blunt about the limits: too few studies, too much variety between them, and a need for "more high-quality studies."
So the picture is a lean, not a lock. CRP may dip a little, mostly in people who start high. IL-6 may move a little too. Neither result is solid yet.
Is there a safety catch?
Yes, and it depends on which cinnamon you mean.
There are two main kinds of cinnamon, cassia and Ceylon. A 2026 review found cassia can hold up to 3.6 grams of coumarin per kilogram. Ceylon cinnamon holds 15 milligrams per kilogram or less. That is a gap of about 240 times. Coumarin is a natural flavor compound that can harm the liver in large amounts.
A Norwegian risk study set a safe daily limit of 0.07 mg of coumarin per kilogram of body weight. It found adults who drink cinnamon tea and take cinnamon supplements can go over that limit. In some cases intake ran 7 to 20 times higher. Small children who ate cinnamon on oatmeal several times a week could also go over it.
Real people have run into trouble. A 2019 review of adverse events found 38 clinical trials, and 5 of them reported side effects. It also gathered 160 adverse events from national reporting systems. The most common were stomach problems and allergic reactions, and most cleared up on their own. The authors said cinnamon looks safe as a spice. Larger medicinal doses taken for longer "should be clinically monitored."
One case report shows why medicines matter. A 73-year-old woman on a statin, a cholesterol drug, developed hepatitis (liver inflammation) about a week after starting cinnamon supplements. Her doctors stopped both. The statin was later restarted with no problems. One case cannot prove cause, but it is a warning worth knowing.
What about blood sugar?
Cinnamon's best results are not for inflammation at all. A 2024 meta-analysis of 24 trials in people with type 2 diabetes found cinnamon lowered fasting blood sugar and HbA1c, a three-month average of blood sugar. That matters for safety too. If you already take a drug that lowers blood sugar, adding cinnamon could add to that effect, which is a reason to check with your provider first.
What this means for you
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you take a statin or other medicines that can affect the liver; you take insulin or other medicines that lower blood sugar; you have liver disease; you are pregnant or breastfeeding; or you want to give cinnamon supplements to a child. Keep taking your prescribed medicines as directed while you ask.
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The bottom line
Cinnamon got its calm reputation from lab work and a handful of small trials. Some reviews saw CRP fall. The two widest reviews saw it fall just short of a clear result. IL-6 moved a little. Meanwhile the common cassia kind carries coumarin, and high doses have landed people in the clinic. So keep cinnamon in your kitchen and keep your expectations modest. It is a pleasant spice, not a proven treatment for inflammation.
Common questions
Does cinnamon reduce inflammation in the body?
Possibly a little, in supplement doses. A 2020 review of 12 trials found CRP and IL-6 dropped with 1.5 to 4 grams a day. But two umbrella reviews found the CRP drop was not statistically clear. The effect looked bigger in people who started with high CRP and in trials longer than 12 weeks.
Does cinnamon cause inflammation in the body?
The trials we read did not find that cinnamon raised CRP or IL-6. But allergic reactions were among the most common side effects people reported after taking it. In one case report, a woman developed hepatitis, a liver inflammation, after combining cinnamon supplements with a statin.
Does cinnamon cause swelling?
The studies we read did not track swelling on its own. A 2019 review of side effects found allergic reactions and stomach problems were the most common, and most cleared up without treatment. If your lips, mouth or skin react after eating cinnamon, stop and talk to your doctor.
Is Ceylon cinnamon safer than cassia?
For coumarin, yes. A 2026 review found cassia can hold up to 3.6 grams of coumarin per kilogram, while Ceylon holds 15 milligrams per kilogram or less. Coumarin can harm the liver, and heavy cinnamon users can go over the safe daily limit.
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How this article was made
Researched and written from 10 peer-reviewed papers. Our automated check matched every claim against the exact words of its source, confirmed every paper exists in PubMed, and found none retracted. Checked November 2, 2026. Not individually reviewed by a doctor. Photos are illustrative; the people in them are not patients or readers.
Grades run Strong, Moderate, Emerging, Early and Not supported, and the grade decides the words we may use. How we grade evidence · Medical disclaimer
Sources
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- Meta-analysisImpact of Cinnamon Supplementation on cardiometabolic Biomarkers of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Zhu C, Yan H, Zheng Y et al. Complement Ther Med, 2020.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisThe effect of cinnamon consumption on lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation biomarkers in adults: An umbrella meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Sarmadi B, Musazadeh V, Dehghan P et al. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2023.PubMedFull paper
- Umbrella reviewEffect of cinnamon supplementation on blood pressure, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers in adults: An umbrella review of the meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials.Zhang K, Li Y, Lin X et al. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2024.PubMedFull paper
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- ReviewA critical appraisal of anti-hyperglycemic mechanisms, matrix-dependent bioavailability, and species-stratified safety of Cinnamomum spp. as functional food ingredients.Balkrishna A, Tripathi SK, Singh SK et al. Food Res Int, 2026.PubMedFull paper
- StudyRisk assessment of coumarin using the bench mark dose (BMD) approach: children in Norway which regularly eat oatmeal porridge with cinnamon may exceed the TDI for coumarin with several folds.Fotland TØ, Paulsen JE, Sanner T et al. Food Chem Toxicol, 2012.PubMedFull paper
- StudyDo cinnamon supplements cause acute hepatitis?Brancheau D, Patel B, Zughaib M Am J Case Rep, 2015.PubMedFull paper
- Meta-analysisThe effect of cinnamon supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: An updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Moridpour AH, Kavyani Z, Khosravi S et al. Phytother Res, 2024.PubMedFull paper
