?Chromium Picolinate??
Question:
Posted on one of the PCOS mailing lists: ( I think its from CAD ) OVERVIEW OF THE EFFICACY OF VARIOUS FORMS OF CHROMIUM } } Chromium: essential trace mineral. The efficacy of a chromium supplement is
based on bioactivity. Inorganic chromium is poorly absorbed and must be converted into a biologically active form to be insulin-effective. Medical research has associated low tissue chromium levels with high blood cholesterol and insulin imbalance. Only those studies conducted by independent university and government research have been accepted as valid for this review. } } Chromium Deficiencies: U.S. government reports nine out of ten Americans
tested consume less than the minimum estimated safe and adequate dietary intake for chromium established by the National Research Council. Tissue chromium levels decrease with age. Chromium depletion is evidenced during pregnancy, in those who exercise and diabetics. Diets high in simple sugars also exacerbate loss of body stores of chromium. } } Chromium & Diabetes: Front page of June ‘96 issue of USA Today announced
"Chromium test on diabetics ’spectacular’." The study(1) involved 180 subjects who had high blood sugar. The subjects were divided into three groups. The first group took 1,000 mcg of chromium per day, the second took 200 mcg of chromium per day and the third group took placebo. After four months, Glycosylated hemoglobin levels (time-related measurement of blood sugar) were analyzed in all groups. The group taking 1,000 mcg of chromium experienced remarkable blood sugar stabilization evidenced by the fact their blood sugar levels dropped to the normal range (6.6%). The group taking low doses of chromium had glycosylated hemoglobin levels of 7.5% while the placebo group levels were 8.5%. Normal hemoglobin is 6.2% or less. The study showed the efficacy of supplemental chromium in balancing insulin levels in diabetics. } } Toxicity of Chromium: Chromium itself has very low toxicity. But the agent
it is complexed with determines the toxicity of the final product. "No toxicity has been reported for the oral administration of trivalent chromium, the form found in foods."(2) The trivalent form of chromium should be used in human chromium supplements. This form of chromium should be complexed with a proven safe FDA GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) agent. Any laboratory can take chromium and bind it with another agent. This does not assure efficacy or safety. Niacin is listed as GRAS by the FDA. Picolinic acid, used in chromium picolinate, is not listed as GRAS. Picolinic acid is also not listed in United States Pharmacopeia or Food Chemical Codex, while niacin is. It has been acknowledged for over ten years that picolinic acid is cytotoxic. Scientific review of picolinic acid reveals that "The documented toxicity of picolinate detracts from any therapeutic value it may have." Annual Review of Nutrition, Volume 3, 1983. } } Chromium-Niacin Complex: First identified by Dr. Mertz, former director of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center. Dr Mertz identified chromium-niacin complex as the form of biologically active chromium. Dr. Mertz also proved that the most important function of chromium is insulin potentiation. } } Value of Niacin-Bound Chromium versus Chromium Picolinate and Chromium
Chloride: Properly constructed chromium supplement will provide insulin interaction and bioavailability (determined by absorption). If chromium supplement does not convey both insulin potentiation and bioavailability, it serves no practical purpose or benefit. Niacin-bound chromium strongly potentiates insulin while chromium picolinate does not. At the University of California, niacin-bound chromium was shown to be 672% better absorbed than chromium chloride and 311% better absorbed than chromium picolinate. Chromium chloride, an inorganic chromium salt, is typically absorbed about 0.5%. } } Better Chromium Retention with Niacin-Bound Chromium: The bioavailability of
different forms of chromium varies greatly. Clinical comparison of different forms of chromium reveals the superiority of niacin-bound chromium in TTR (total tissue retention).(3) TTR was tracked over 3 hour period. TTR was recorded for peak-percent-retained. At the one-hour mark: } } Niacin-bound chromium reached: 16% } Chromium picolinate reached: 5% } Chromium chloride reached: 2% } } Niacin-bound chromium carries superior bioavailability as compared to
chromium picolinate and chromium chloride. Niacin-bound chromium is also superior to the chelated forms of chromium. Amino acid chelates of chromium are unreacted inorganic chromium salts and as such cannot be considered efficacious. Chromium supplements other than niacin-bound (polynicotinate and nicotinate) have not been proven to convey the full benefits of chromium, particularly in insulin potentiation. Since 1992, the popularity of chromium has exponentially risen and various chromium supplements have flooded the market. "Chromium-hype" is currently rampant in the nutrient industry. Chromium purported to be "niacin-bound" is currently being sold for less than cost of the raw materials. This obviously is a manufacturing impossibility. Authentic niacin- bound chromium and chromium picolinate are extremely expensive. When purchasing chromium supplements for individual use or by the kilo for commercial use, insist on knowing the exact form of chromium used and the price per kilo. If a manufacturer will not reveal the price per kilo of the chromium, ask for the name and phone number of the company that provided the chromium to them. A reputable company will gladly supply pricing and promotional literature. This will help establish acceptable chromium guidelines in the nutrient industry. } } 1) Richard Anderson, PhD, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Human Nutrition
Research Center, 1996 } 2) Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 7th Edition, 1988 } 3) The Journal of the American College of Nutrition (1992)
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Response:
I’ve been taking chromium picolinate for over a year now. I find that it does have some effectiveness at regulating blood glucose levels. It’s not a huge effect and it’s not a replacement for diabetes medication, but it does help. I don’t find that it does anything about appetite. I don’t know if it helps exercise, as I take it in the morning and exercise in the late afternoon or evening. I looked up some of the studies of chromium picolinate on medline and dosages were anywhere from 200 mcg to 800 mcg. I took 400 mcg for awhile and then went to 200 mcg, which is what I’m taking now. I haven’t had any side effects and I’m not aware of any dangers other than overdosing. George 335/313/300 (First Goal) Treading with the Troops – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – It’s true that many of us don’t get enough chromium — on the other hand, the amount we need is quite small as well. Chromium picolinate can help those with Type II diabetes in keeping blood sugar and insulin levels down. However, chromium does appear to stay in cells for a long time (research indicates it stays in a mouse cell for sixty-four days), so taking large doses regularly could result in accumulation of toxic amounts. The National Academy of Sciences says that 50 to 200 micrograms a day is a safe amount to take. There was a study at the Univerisity of Texas at Austin that indicated that dieting women taking chromium actually gained weight — because the chromium helps your body’s insulin to work better, you can actually store MORE fat if you take a lot of it and/or combine it with a diet high in refined sugar. I don’t remember seeing much talk about this stuff on this page. I was standing in line at the drug store and was scanning this book about CP. They made it sound like something we all need for muscle tone, bone strength and weight loss. The book said we don’t get enough Chromium in the foods we eat, and that we don’t absorb it….but that the Picolinate factor (a chelator) helped our bodies absorb the Chromium in the pills. Anybody have any real facts on this stuff. This book was all positive, what are the dangers? Cindy
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Response:
so, is any amount of chromium picolate ok to take. i heard that you should take one an hour or so before exercising. anyone have any other info on that? angela
Response:
The National Academy of Sciences says that 50 to 200 micrograms a day is a safe amount to take. so, is any amount of chromium picolate ok to take. i heard that you should take one an hour or so before exercising. anyone have any other info on that? angela
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Response:
It’s true that many of us don’t get enough chromium — on the other hand, the amount we need is quite small as well. Chromium picolinate can help those with Type II diabetes in keeping blood sugar and insulin levels down. However, chromium does appear to stay in cells for a long time (research indicates it stays in a mouse cell for sixty-four days), so taking large doses regularly could result in accumulation of toxic amounts. The National Academy of Sciences says that 50 to 200 micrograms a day is a safe amount to take. There was a study at the Univerisity of Texas at Austin that indicated that dieting women taking chromium actually gained weight — because the chromium helps your body’s insulin to work better, you can actually store MORE fat if you take a lot of it and/or combine it with a diet high in refined sugar. I don’t remember seeing much talk about this stuff on this page. I was standing in line at the drug store and was scanning this book about CP. They made it sound like something we all need for muscle tone, bone strength and weight loss. The book said we don’t get enough Chromium in the foods we eat, and that we don’t absorb it….but that the Picolinate factor (a chelator) helped our bodies absorb the Chromium in the pills. Anybody have any real facts on this stuff. This book was all positive, what are the dangers? Cindy
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Response:
I don’t remember seeing much talk about this stuff on this page. I was standing in line at the drug store and was scanning this book about CP. They made it sound like something we all need for muscle tone, bone strength and weight loss. The book said we don’t get enough Chromium in the foods we eat, and that we don’t absorb it….but that the Picolinate factor (a chelator) helped our bodies absorb the Chromium in the pills. Anybody have any real facts on this stuff. This book was all positive, what are the dangers? Cindy
Response:
This is purely and incredibly anecdotal BUT in my experience the chromium supplementation caused my weight loss to slow dramatically. The same was true for my wife. We cut just the chromium picolinate and both experienced a rather rapid loss for the next two weeks after. This was like in early may. I guess we just didnt need it.
Chromium is only helpful if you’re deficient in chromium. If you’re not deficient, excess chromium tends to have the opposite effect. "If amounts exceed the normal range, chromium’s effect on insulin activity reverses and inhibits rather than helps." –Nutrition Almanac, 4th edition — "There’s a seeker born every minute."
Response:
confidentially… It’s true that many of us don’t get enough chromium — on the other hand, the amount we need is quite small as well. Chromium picolinate can help those with Type II diabetes in keeping blood sugar and insulin levels down. However, chromium does appear to stay in cells for a long time (research indicates it stays in a mouse cell for sixty-four days), so taking large doses regularly could result in accumulation of toxic amounts. The National Academy of Sciences says that 50 to 200 micrograms a day is a safe amount to take. There was a study at the Univerisity of Texas at Austin that indicated that dieting women taking chromium actually gained weight — because the chromium helps your body’s insulin to work better, you can actually store MORE fat if you take a lot of it and/or combine it with a diet high in refined sugar.
This is purely and incredibly anecdotal BUT in my experience the chromium supplementation caused my weight loss to slow dramatically. The same was true for my wife. We cut just the chromium picolinate and both experienced a rather rapid loss for the next two weeks after. This was like in early may. I guess we just didnt need it. — Low Carb 1/6/99 365/335/265 (Confirmed Meatatarian)
Response:
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