Diabetes Management: Chromium
Diabetes Management: Chromium
Small Dosages=Potent Results
There are a few minerals that are as surrounded by controversy as chromium is. In the movie, “Erin Brockovich” both hexavalent and trivalent chromium were discussed as contaminates in drinking water. While hexavalent chromium can cause substantial human damage, trivalent chromium is perfectly healthy and beneficial for proper blood sugar management. In fact, it is considered an essential mineral by the FDA.
Like other minerals that have been discussed, (trivalent) chromium exists in different forms—chromium chloride, nicotinate, aspartate, amino acid chelate, and picolinate. Out of these forms, chromium picolinate has the highest absorption rate and the most studied. However, this is with a caveat—chromium is not well absorbed. Chromium picolinate has absorption rates between 1-2% while the other forms have absorption rates between 0.4-0.8%. There is no recommended daily amount (RDA) set for chromium. Rather, the FDA set an Adequate Intake (AI) for chromium at 35 micrograms for men and 25 micrograms for women. This amount is extremely low, so it is rare to see chromium deficiencies. In fact, there have been no definitive symptoms reported for a chromium deficiency.
Chromium picolinate is the most studied and known for its benefits to blood sugar management. Studies have shown that consuming supplemental chromium picolinate significantly lowers blood sugar and insulin in diabetic people. Another large study showed that the likely of developing diabetes was lowered for individuals that supplemented with chromium every day. For non-diabetic individuals, the benefits of chromium are mixed. There are some studies that show that it lowers fasting blood sugar while others suggest that it does not have an effect. Preliminary studies do show that chromium supplementation can help regulate blood sugar levels for women with PCOS, though.
Other benefits of chromium include aiding in weight-loss and reducing binge eating. Several studies have showed that chromium picolinate reduces binge eating episodes (especially for anyone depressed or on a weight-loss plan). These same studies have shown a significant reduction in hunger and food cravings. However, they do not correlate to a significant decrease in weight over a typical weight-loss period of time. Preliminary studies have also suggested that chromium can aid in cardiovascular and brain health, since these are linked to proper blood sugar management.
The recommended dosage of chromium picolinate to manage blood sugar (for diabetics) is 1000 micrograms per day. Although no upper limit of chromium has been set, it is important to note that high dosages may worsen insulin sensitivity. For weight-loss and/or a reduction in binge eating, studies have shown that a range of 600-1000 micrograms is effective.
Foods with the highest amount of chromium are broccoli, oranges, apples, grains like barley and oat, green beans, turkey, and potatoes. However, it is difficult to accurately measure the chromium content of these foods since the levels are dependent on growing conditions (like soil composition). Chromium picolinate is the most common supplement and usually exists as a tablet or capsule.
Have you ever taken chromium for weight loss? Do you think it works?