Cinnamon oil is a (mostly) selective bacterial / fungal kill supplement that kills far more unwanted bacteria than beneficial bacteria (according to several studies). However it must be used properly. It also pairs very well with Phage Complete as it too is highly selective kill supplement that also selectively feeds beneficial bacteria!
I get a lot of questions about the safety of taking cinnamon oil orally. I fully address these concerns in The Gut Health Protocol, but I’m going to briefly cover them here. All essential oils (EO) are the concentrated oils from the plant they are made from; therefore, every EO is different and has different safety concerns. Some EOs should not be consumed orally, even if diluted. Some have been used for decades (or longer) in foods and are safe when properly diluted. “True” Cinnamon oil is one of those that has been used (and continues to be used) in cooking, recipes, and commercially available foods. But, again, “proper dilution” is important.
First, you need to be using the correct type of Cinnamon Oil (cinnamomum zeylanicum, bark, 100% pure, steam distilled. Sometimes called “Ceylon”). Other types of cinnamon oil sold on the market (e.g. cassia) are not even from the same plant, and contain a substance (courmarin) that is bad for the liver if frequently consumed over time. Cinnamomum Zeylanicum does not contain enough courmarin to cause problems (which is why it is used in food products). I recommend the NOW Essential Oils brand as it meets all of these requirements, it isn’t sold under a multi-level marketing scheme, and it is also inexpensive (it is available for purchase at the link above as well as on Amazon).
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1-2 drops of cinnamon oil, up to two to three times per day (see The Gut Health Protocol book for details)
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1/2 to 1 tbsp of oil (MCT, coconut, or olive oil. But not PUFA vegetable oils). I use MCT oil as it has almost no flavor, is liquid at room temperature, and is otherwise good for us. There is also evidence that it helps detoxify LPS endotoxins (made by unwanted gram negative bacteria).
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4 ounces of liquid or more (water, tea, coffee, smoothie). If you find that you are sensitive to cinnamon oil then increase the dilution.
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Optional: 1/2 to 1 tsp of larch tree fiber. This fiber is not only great at feeding your microibome, it also helps make the cinnamon oil a lot milder (by allowing the cinnamon oil and water to mix).
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Mix well (a coffee frother or blender work best. I use a cheap $13 coffee frother, it works very well)
Be advised that a very small number of people are allergic to one or more of these oils, and an even smaller number may be allergic to cinnamon. Someone on this planet is allergic to anything you can think of other than air, this includes water. Again, an allergy to cinnamon is quite uncommon. Cinnamon oil rarely causes histamine issues, unlike the powdered forms.
Larch tree fiber will emulsify the oils with the liquid so that (basically) oil and water can mix. This *greatly* reduces the sharpness (or heat) of the cinnamon oil, reduces any possible irritation, and lessens the cinnamon flavor. Trust me, this helps the taste (even though the fiber has no flavor).
Using cinnamon oil without any dilution can cause irritation (or possibly even injury) to the mucosal areas (tongue, lips, esophagus, stomach lining), it is highly concentrated. But with proper dilution it’s fine (it’s been used in baked goods, etc. for over 100 years). The formula above has a margin of error, if you accidentally add 3 drops it’s fine. More than that and you should make a double batch and set 1/2 aside for later. I’ve known plenty of people take up to 9 drops per day, however, that’s unnecessary and I do not recommend it. Cinnamon oil is FDA approved GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) as a food additive. Also, don’t bother looking for “food grade” versions, there aren’t any as there is no FDA ranking system for cinnamon oil; if the product has been steam distilled, 100% pure, and with no additives, it is food grade). btw: This dilution ratio only applies to cinnamon and clove oil, other essential oils may not be suitable for internal use, or may require a different dilution.
I recommend (and take) the NOW brand of cinnamon oil as it meets all the requirements, they have good QC process and is inexpensive. Other brands OK (as long as they meet above requirements) but are usually more expensive (they make up for the price with lots of marketing and Ponzi scheme like sales people. Since the extraction method is the same, the quality will not be better). If you can not find the NOW brand then look for one that is 100% Ceylon or cinnamomum zeylanicum (not diluted) and has been steam distilled. Other brands will most likely be more expensive, but that is marketing, it has nothing to do with quality.
| These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. |
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