I’ve always adored cinnamon. Its aroma warms the cockles of my heart, and its flavor makes me feel as if I’m wrapped up in an old fairy tale. However, I was floored when I reviewed some of the latest research regarding the effects of cinnamon on brain health.

Cinnamon is a type of laurel plant (believe it or not, there are almost three thousand members of the Lauraceae family). Cinnamon happens to be chock full of medically active chemicals. What’s more, some of these compounds have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) (not too many chemicals can). A compound must cross the BBB to directly affect the components of the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, etc.). Some extracts of cinnamon include cinnamaldehyde and flavonoids (polyphenol species of chemicals) such as catechin and epigallocatechin gallate.

Glioblastoma multiforme

First and foremost, I’d like to relay the findings of a team of scientists from Atlanta. In 2023, the researchers reported on their work with a highly purified cinnamaldehyde elixir. Amazingly, they discovered that the wonderful spice may be useful in fighting brain cancer—and not just any brain cancer, either. The scientists were investigating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), one of the most deadly kinds of malignant brain cancers.

It will be some time before this research alters patient care, though. To my knowledge, no doctors have tried using cinnamon derivatives to treat real live patients yet. The 2023 report didn’t even rise to the level of experimental animals. The Atlanta investigation was performed on cells (U87eGFP cell line) in a test tube.

Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a cerebral scourge that steals the memory of millions of people around the world each and every year. What’s worse, there’s no known cure for AD. Cinnamon, though, may provide a step in the right direction.

A plethora of traditional herbs (known to the Indian Ayurvedic system) have been demonstrated to improve memory and encourage neurogenesis (the formation of new brain cells). In this vein, in 2023, a multinational team of researchers reported on the cerebrally salutary properties of turmeric, gingko, ashwagandha, shankhpushpi, giloy, gotu kola, garlic, tulsi, ginger, and, of course, our good buddy cinnamon.

You’re probably wondering: How does cinnamon potentially benefit those suffering from AD? Might cinnamon help one prevent AD?

Some hallmarks of AD, seen by looking at neurons (brain cells) under the microscope, are the accumulation of tau protein neurofibrillary tangles and the development of amyloid-beta plaques. The anti-inflammatory properties of cinnamon may prevent the buildup of these devastating proteins.

That’s not all: Several FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of AD work by blocking the brain activity of acetylcholinesterase. These medicines include donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmine, and tacrine. It turns out that cinnamon naturally inhibits acetylcholinesterase activity.

As if that weren’t enough, get this: you may not need to ingest cinnamon to reap the anti-dementia benefits. In 2021, Malaysian investigators reported on the benefits of cinnamon’s aroma. The scientists reviewed more than one hundred scientific articles. They discovered that cinnamon essential oil is beneficial in the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases, including both AD and Parkinson’s disease.

Insomnia

After reading about brain cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, you’re probably saying to yourself, “Insomnia … no biggie.” Unless, of course, you’ve just had a shitty night’s sleep and you’ve been walking around like a zombie all day.

In 2021, Indonesian scientists investigated some very tired rats. The experiments began by inducing insomnia in thirty such rodents and then trying to get them to catch a few Zs. Cinnamon extract did the trick. Further evaluation revealed that the animals who enjoyed some cinnamon before nap time had brains overflowing with serotonin and melatonin. The rats who were cured of insomnia also had decreased brain norepinephrine levels.

Marc Arginteanu is a neurosurgeon and author of Azazel’s Public House.