Nutraceuticals

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder frequently associated with insulin resistance, obesity, and increased cardiometabolic risk. Ceylon cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) has demonstrated insulin-sensitizing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that may improve metabolic outcomes in women with PCOS. Objective: To evaluate the effects of Ceylon cinnamon supplementation on anthropometric parameters and insulin resistance in Tunisian women with PCOS. Methods: A prospective interventional pilot study was conducted in the Endocrinology Department of the National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INNTA). Women diagnosed with PCOS according to the Rotterdam 2003 criteria received Ceylon cinnamon capsules (500 mg three times daily; total 1500 mg/day) for eight weeks without changes in diet or physical activity. Anthropometric measurements, body composition, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed at baseline and after intervention. Results: Fifteen women were enrolled, and thirteen completed the study. The mean age was 25.38 ± 5.12 years. After eight weeks of supplementation, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio decreased significantly (both p = 0.02). Although reductions were observed in fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR (from 4.96 ± 3.22 to 2.75 ± 1.88), these changes did not reach statistical significance. No significant changes were found in body weight or body mass index. Conclusion: Short-term Ceylon cinnamon supplementation was associated with significant improvements in abdominal anthropometric measures in women with PCOS and showed a favorable trend toward improved insulin resistance. These findings suggest that Ceylon cinnamon may serve as a promising adjunctive nutritional therapy for metabolic dysfunction in PCOS. Larger randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up are warranted to confirm these preliminary results.