Research on the Mineral Chromium

The following research abstracts are presented to reflect the findings of possible benefits from minerals as a dietary supplement and nutritional supplement. You will find more on the ionic chromium page.

GENERAL CHROMIUM RESEARCH

Have you had your chromium today? Probably not.

Mazzola, V. (1986). Agricultural Research, 34(1).

A week long test of the normal diets of 32 adults in the Washington DC area has revealed that all consumed less chromium than the amount suggested by the Food and Nutrition Board as safe and adequate - 50 mg per day.
For the test at the Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, 32 volunteers brought in duplicate amounts of everything they ate and drank. Then the food was analyzed for amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Another test at the Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Laboratory showed that those who exercise strenuously may need more chromium than others. The nine men studied lost twice as much chromium in their urine on days they ran 6 miles as on days they did not run.
Physical stress caused by severe injuries seems to have an effect similar to exercise. In cooperative studies at the University of Maryland's Neurotrauma Intensive Care Unit in Baltimore, seven severely injured patients lost abnormally high amounts of chromium in their urine. The rate of chromium loss decreased as the patients recuperated, according to chemist Marilyn M. Polansky.
Richard A. Anderson, also a chemist, said tests at the laboratory have revealed that chromium maintains blood sugar levels and helps regulate fats and cholesterol, even increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDL) the "good" cholesterol.
Anderson said foods such as whole wheat breads, meat, mushrooms, and vegetables are good sources of chromium. A varied diet containing these foods can be expected to provide enough chromium to maintain good health.

Clinical and biochemical aspects of chromium deficiency.

Wallach, S. (1985). J Am Coll Nutr, 4, 107-120.

The essentiality of chromium (Cr) in animal and human nutrition is now well accepted. In animals, Cr deficiency can cause a diabetic like state, impaired growth, elevated blood lipids, increased aortic plaque formation, and decreased fertility and longevity. The ability of Cr to potentiate insulin sensitivity has considerable experimental support. In the human, Cr deficiency has been demonstrated unequivocally in only one clinical situation, patients on total parenteral nutrition without added Cr. In such patients, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperglycemia, relative insulin resistance, peripheral neuropathy, and a metabolic encephalopathy have been noted with reversal of the clinical phenomena by Cr repletion. Many studies have been performed to determine whether Cr deficiency may be important in other clinical conditions, namely, diabetes mellitus, pregnant and parous women, and the aged population. Available data indicate that Cr supplementation can improve glucose metabolism in glucose intolerant individuals and decrease the total HDL cholesterol ration regardless of the status of glucose tolerance. However, whether Cr supplementation has long term health benefits is unknown. Further, despite many tantalizing observations, it is still unclear whether Cr deficiency, latent or overt, is common in any human situation other than generalized malnutrition and total parenteral nutrition without added Cr. Technical uncertainties in the analysis of Cr, Cr contamination of food by the use of stainless steel processing equipment and eating utensils, and the lack of clinically feasible test for Cr deficiency continue to impede progress in Cr research. Nevertheless, there is considerably more clarity as to plasma and urine Cr levels, food and tissue Cr content, and metabolic pathways of Cr metabolism than existed a decade ago. It is expected that progress will accelerate, since critical questions can now be addressed regarding the role of Cr in human nutrition.

Evidence of a relationship between childhood-onset type I diabetes and low groundwater concentration of zinc

Diabetes Care (USA), 1996, 19/8 (873-875)

OBJECTIVE - Zinc deficiency ha shown to increase the risk for diabetes in diabetes-prone experimental animals. Low concentrations of zinc have also been shown in serum of recent onset cases with IDDM. The present study examines the hypothesis that exposure to a low concentration of zinc in drinking water could increase the risk for future onset of IDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Using the Swedish childhood diabetes registry and data on residence 3 years before the onset of disease, a case-control study was designed comparing cases and control subjects with estimates of groundwater contents of zinc obtained in biogeochemical samples from areas of residence. RESULTS - A high groundwater concentration of zinc was associated with a significant decrease in risk (odds ration (OR) = 0.8; 95% CI = 0.7-0.9). The same OR was obtained when the model included information of other metals that might act as possible confounders (chromium, vanadium, cobalt selenium, cadmium, lead, and mercury). In small rural areas, in which drinking water is taken from local wells and thus is closely associated with the groundwater content within the area, an even stronger association between zinc and diabetes (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4-0.9) was found. CONCLUSIONS - It is concluded that this study for the first time provides evidence that a low groundwater content of zinc, which may reflect long-term exposure through drinking water, is associated with later development of childhood onset diabetes.

Rationales for micronutrient supplementation in diabetes.

Med Hypotheses (ENGLAND) Feb 1984, 13 (2) p139-51

Available evidence--some well-documented, some only preliminary--suggests that properly-designed nutritional insurance supplementation may have particular value in diabetes. Comprehensive micronutrient supplementation providing ample doses of antioxidants, yeast-chromium, magnesium, zinc, pyridoxine, gamma-linolenic acid, and carnitine, may aid glucose tolerance, stimulate immune defenses, and promote wound healing, while reducing the risk and severity of some of the secondary complications of diabetes. (125 Refs.)