Chromium

“The best alarm clock is sunshine on chrome.”

-Anonymous, from a biker message board.

Overview

Chromium came into use during the past half-century after a hospital study found that patients fed intravenously long-term could not properly metabolize glucose until chromium was added.

What are the known benefits?

There is little indisputable evidence one way or the other, and what evidence there is has been contradicted in other studies. It is believed that chromium supports healthy glucose metabolism and can assist in building muscle and losing fat. It may also lower triglycerides.

Any reports debunking these benefits?

This study does not debunk the claims but says that no firm evidence either way has been determined.

What is the scientific mechanism at play?

It is believed that chromium prolongs the activity of insulin and possibly causes a rise in the number of insulin receptors.

Another theory is that chromium ameliorates something called endoplasmic reticulum stress, which entails fixing misfolded proteins inside our cells; this beneficial effect allows insulin to better do its job.

Other issues

Two forms of chromium are commonly sold: chromium picolinate and chromium nicotinate, also known as polynicotinate.

Chromium picolinate contains chromium that is bound to picolinic acid, and chromium nicotinate contains chromium bound to nicotinic acid.

(Poly)Nicotinate = nicotinic acid = niacin = vitamin B3

This study, which seems to speak for the majority thinking nowadays, says chromium picolinate should be avoided and the (poly)nicotinate version used instead. The main concern with the picolinate form is that over time it can lead to DNA mutations that cause cancer. However, the evidence points both ways.

Supporters of picolinate point out that

In studies indicating cancer-causing potential the rats were fed doses thousands of times greater than what a person would take.
People have been taking picolinate for years now with no ill effects. (Inquiring minds ask how anyone knows that’s true. What long term studies have been done? If you know the answer, please post on the science blog.)
Picolinic acid is made in the body anyway. (Inquiring minds ask whether the picolinic acid is identical to that which is made in the body, or if it’s a similar form. Please post if you know the answer.)

Detractors say that chromium picolinate taken over years in fact does add up to a buildup of chromium equivalent to the rats’ dosage (note that they don’t say the buildup is picolinate; they say it’s chromium. Also, there is no discussion of excretion of chromium.)

Warnings

Chromium supplementation interferes with the absorption of many medications. If you take any other medications, please check with your doctor and/or pharmacist for possible interactions. Better yet, do your homework yourself and research it on the internet. No doctor or pharmacist can possibly keep abreast of the ongoing flood of scientific journal articles. Some people advise that chromium supplements interact with thyroid medications, antacids, corticosteroids, H2 blockers, proton pump inhibitors, beta-blockers, insulin, nicotinic acid, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and prostaglandin inhibitors.

Conclusion

Will chromium really help with diabetes and metabolic syndrome? Click here for reviews and more information about chromium supplements for sale.

References

https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Chromium-HealthProfessional/

https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-14-14

http://www.fasebj.org/content/28/1_Supplement/828.1.short

http://academicjournals.org/journal/IJNAM/article-full-text-pdf/174110550234

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3515400/

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1883 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010063.pub2/abstract;jsessionid=EDBFFBE494E03CC8ACB0B0E3E0D42D90.f04t02

http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12011-015-0231-9

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9268955

http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/1883

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