Information on Chromium

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Nine out of ten Americans do not get enough chromium.  Drs. Richard A. Anderson and Adriane Kozlovsky of the USDA's Human Nutrition Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland conducted a study in which approximately 90 percent of the diets analyzed were below the minimum safe and adequate range of 50 mcg. Dr. Anderson has stated that not only is the dietary intake of chromium suboptimal but that the situation is worsened by increased chromium losses due to stress and to the need to metabolize large amounts of highly processed carbohydrates.

Chromium is necessary for carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Insufficient amounts have been liked to maturity-onset diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Besides diabetes and heart health, chromium affects lean muscle mass, athletic performance, and weight loss.

Biologically active chromium functions to promote tissue sensitivity to insulin. Although the mechanism of this effect is still unknown, chromium assists insulin in moving blood sugar (glucose) out of the bloodstream and into the cells where it is used to produce energy. In addition, it appears that insulin is involved in the transfer of amino acids across the cell membrane, particularly in muscle tissue.

Glucose provides nearly 100 percent of the energy needed by the body and the brain. Glucose tolerance is the body's ability to release sufficient insulin to metabolize carbohydrate. This insulin generated energy is also used to breakdown proteins and fats. At about age thirty, glucose tolerance begins to decline. Research suggests that this decline is a possible consequence of a mild chromium deficiency.

Advanced impairment of glucose tolerance leads to adult on-set diabetes also known as diabetes mellitus or sugar diabetes. The one in 25 persons who develop this disease can show reduced production of insulin, no production of insulin, or an over production of insulin (in which there is an interference with insulin action). People with impaired lucose tolerance are also at risk for heart disease.

In the body, chromium is the chief nutrient of a molecular structure called the glucose tolerance factor (GTF). GTF makes insulin more efficient so that less is needed. In fact, Dr. Anderson says chromium is "a true regulator of insulin." Studies show that chromium lowers high blood glucose levels in diabetic individuals and corrects low blood glucose levels in hypoglycemic subjects.

Chromium and Heart Disease

No study has shown a direct relationship between chromium and heart disease; however several studies show low tissue levels of chromium to be strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. Patients whose arteries are relatively free of plaque have been shown to have three to eight times more chromium in their blood than those whose arteries are severely blocked. Other studies indicate that chromium cuts heart disease risk by raising HDL levels while it lowers LDLs and triglycerides.

In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, research scientist A.S. Abraham concluded that "atherosclerosis, even when established, can be reversed by treatment with chromium."

Chromium and Exercise

Insulin has been called the body's primary anabolic hormone. According to researchers, insulin is involved along with growth hormone (GH), and testosterone. Chromium-linked insulin must be present with GH to convert amino acids to protein. Furthermore, chromium plays a part in retarding the breakdown of muscle tissue.

The importance of chromium to the building of lean body mass is dramatically demonstrated by the results of a study conducted by Gary W. Evans, Ph.D. Dr. Evans, a professor of chemistry at Bemidji State University, Bemidji, Minnesota, enlisted ten male students enrolled in weight training classes as subjects. They were given 200 mcg of chromium (as chromium picolinate) or a placebo for 40 days during which time they followed a training protocol for three hours weekly.

The men receiving the chromium supplement showed a greater increase than those receiving the placebo in all measurements taken. However, it is in the area of increased lean body mass that chromium really showed its stuff. In the placebo group, the calculated lean body mass in creased less than two ounces in marked contrast, the group receiving chromium picolinate increased lean body mass by about three and a half pounds over the 40 day period.

Since muscle strength is involved in any physical activity, sufficient chromium intake is important to everybody. It is especially important to those who exercise regularly. Both vigorous exercise and high carbohydrate diets (typical athlete's fare) deplete chromium stores. According to a USDA study, this can hinder athletic development and performance Uri-nary chromium levels have been shown to increase almost 500 percent after ter a strenuous six mile run. In addition, urinary chromium output doubles on an exercise day versus a non-exercise day. This is especially important in light of the average suboptimal levels.

Chromium and Weight

The body's natural weight control mechanism which speeds up metabolism when overeating takes place doesn't work in test animals deficient in chromium. Sufficient insulin also causes a fullness message to be sent from the stomach to the apestat, and it influences the synthesis of a thyroid hormone which in turn initiates the mobilization of fat reserves for energy production.

Of all the weight lost during a restricted calorie diet, up to half can be lean body mass. Sufficient chromium is needed to insure the anabolic action of insulin to build and maintain muscle tissue. Increased muscle tissue consumes more calories.

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This page last updated 11/19/02