CHROMIUM

Chromium, a trace element has shown to be very useful in a number of health conditions due primarily to its effects on blood sugar control mechanisms.

After a meal, the body responds to the rise in the blood glucose levels by secreting insulin. Insulin lowers blood glucose by increasing the rate that glucose is taken up by the cells throughout the body. Chromium is critical to proper insulin action. Chromium functions in the body as a key constituent of the “glucose tolerance factor.”  Chromium works closely with insulin in facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells. Without chromium, insulin’s action is blocked and blood sugar levels are elevated. Chromium’s key beneficial effect is to help insulin work properly.

Over 15 controlled studies have demonstrated a positive effect for chromium in the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance. Most of the studies were performed in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)---a condition characterized by elevated insulin levels due to insulin resistance. Chromium deficiency is common in NIDDM patients and is thought to contribute not only to the insulin resistance but also to the elevations in serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels. In clinical studies of NIDDM patients, supplementing the diet with chromium has been shown to decrease fasting glucose levels, improves glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while increasing HDL cholesterol levels.

In addition to lowering cholesterol and triglyceride level in NIDDM patients, chromium supplementation has also been shown to lower blood lipids in non-diabetic subjects. The typical changes were: 10 percent reduction in total cholesterol and triglycerides and a 12 percent increase in HDL),

Chromium has gained a great deal of attention as a weight-loss aid. Chromium supplementation has been demonstrated t lower body weight while increasing lean body mass, presumably as a result of insulin sensitivity. In one study, patients who took chromium picolinate , a form of chromium lost an average of 4.2 pounds of fat.