Chromium Picolinate

. . . essential for normal carbohydrate and fat metabolism*  

Feature & Benefits

• Helps promote normal blood sugar levels*1

• Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels*1,2

• Essential to metabolize carbohydrates and fats*3

• Trivalent chromium, chelated with picolinate, acts as a precursor to Glucose Tolerance Factor.*

About Chromium

An essential trace mineral, chromium helps people use insulin more efficiently.*4 Insufficient dietary chromium has been linked to glucose intolerance and abnormal cholesterol levels.*1 In double blind studies, normal people who were given 200 mcg of chromium daily had significantly higher levels of HDL-cholesterol (the good kind) than those who received placebo.*1 In studies with people who had high, normal and low blood sugar levels, those with abnormal levels tended to normalize when given chromium supplements, but those with normal levels did not change.1

A diet high in processed foods, sugar and fat lacks enough chromium to metabolize these foods.5 When a diet is high in sugar, chromium losses increase.1,6,7 Chromium losses also increase due to pregnancy, strenuous exercise, trauma, illness and aging.1 7 Unlike some minerals, chromium is not recycled by the body; once used, it is excreted.1 When people were given glucose, chromium excretion increased by 50%.1 Insulin dependent diabetics lose three times more chromium than healthy people.1 Signs of marginal chromium deficiency include glucose intolerance, elevated serum cholesterol and triglycerides and elevated circulating insulin.*1 Of course, these signs may also be symptoms of illness, but testing for chromium status can determine if supplementation is needed.1

The Need for Chromium Supplements

While severe chromium deficiency is not common in the US, marginal deficiencies seem widespread.1 7  Ninety-five percent of Americans do not consume the recommended safe and adequate amount of chromium.8 The National Academy of Sciences recommends 50-200 mcg of chromium daily and the FDA’s Recommended Daily Intake is 130 mcg, yet the average American consumes less than 30 mcg.8 Americans contain much less chromium in the body (average 1.7 mg) than do people in the Far East (9 mg).9 Chromium absorption may be enhanced by vitamin C; one study showed up to 448% greater chromium absorption when taken with vitamin C.*10

Ingredient Highlights

Chromium Picolinate is easily absorbed and utilized. Good food sources of chromium are mushrooms, whole grains, high chromium brewer’s yeast, seeds, liver and some fruits and vegetables; milk and refined grains are poor sources.11 Chromium supplements are very safe.* Even at very high doses, no toxicity was found (5 mg/liter in drinking water and 100 mg/kg of the diet) in test animals.8

Reference

1. Clin Physiol Biochem 1986;4:31-41.

2. Western J Med 152:41-45, 1990.

3. Harper’s Review of Biochemistry, 19^th Edition, Lange Medical Publications, Los Altos, CA 1983.

4. J Inorg Chem, 1992; 46:243-50.

5. Amer J Clin Nutr 1985;41:1177-1183.

6. Metabolism 1986;25(6):515-8.

7. Biol Tr El Res 1992; 32:123-31.

8. Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10^th Edition, FNB/NAS, National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1989:56-8.

9. Introductory Nutrition, C.V. Mosby, 1975:179.

10. Tr El Electrolytes, 1994; 11(4):178-81.

11. Agr Food Chem, 1973; 21(1).