More on Chromium (Deficiency?)

March 7, 2006

" Lower toenail chromium in men with diabetes and cardiovascular

disease compared with healthy men. "

Rajpathak S, Rimm EB, Li T, JS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB.

Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655

Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02120, USA. srajpath@...

OBJECTIVE: Chromium may improve insulin sensitivity, which can modify

the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, we

evaluated the association between toenail chromium and CVD in

diabetic men. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed cross-

sectional and nested case-control analyses among men aged 40-75 years

within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The cross-sectional

analysis compared men with diabetes only (n = 688), diabetes with

prevalent CVD (n = 198), and healthy control subjects (n = 361). The

nested case-control study included 202 men with baseline diabetes who

developed incident CVD and 361 matched control subjects. RESULTS:

Mean toenail chromium (microg/g) was 0.71 in healthy control

subjects, 0.61 in diabetes-only subjects, and 0.52 in diabetic

subjects with prevalent CVD (P for trend = 0.003). In the cross-

sectional analysis, the multivariate odds ratio (OR) between extreme

quartiles was 0.74 (95% CI 0.49-1.11; P for trend = 0.18), comparing

diabetes only with healthy control subjects. A similar comparison

between diabetic subjects with prevalent CVD and healthy control

subjects yielded an OR of 0.45 (0.24-0.84; P for trend = 0.003). In

the nested case-control study, comparing diabetic men with incident

CVD with healthy control subjects, the multivariate OR was 0.65 (0.36-

1.17; P for trend = 0.16) between extreme quartiles. When we combined

prevalent and incident CVD cases among diabetic men and compared them

with healthy control subjects, the OR was 0.62 (0.39-1.01; P for

trend = 0.02) between extreme quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: Our results

suggest that diabetic men with CVD have lower toenail chromium than

healthy control subjects. However, this study could not distinguish

between the effects of chromium on diabetes and those on CVD. Long-

term clinical trials are needed to determine whether chromium

supplementation is beneficial for preventing CVD among diabetic

patients. "

PMID: 15333486

Of course this does not prove that taking chromium supplements will

reduce incidence of diabetes and/or CVD. But it is suggestive.

(For many years I have been taking 200 mcg chromium weekly.)

Rodney.

March 7, 2006

Hi folks:

And in this clinical trial study, 1000 mcg PER DAY (35 times as much

as I am taking) appreciably improved the health of diabetics:

" Elevated intakes of supplemental chromium improve glucose and

insulin variables in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

RA, Cheng N, Bryden NA, Polansky MM, Cheng N, Chi J, Feng J.

Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, U.S. Department of

Agriculture, land 20705-2350, USA. anderson@...

Chromium is an essential nutrient involved in normal carbohydrate and

lipid metabolism. The chromium requirement is postulated to increase

with increased glucose intolerance and diabetes. The objective of

this study was to test the hypothesis that the elevated intake of

supplemental chromium is involved in the control of type 2 diabetes.

Individuals being treated for type 2 diabetes (180 men and women)

were divided randomly into three groups and supplemented with: 1)

placebo, 2) 1.92 micromol (100 microg) Cr as chromium picolinate two

times per day, or 3) 9.6 micromol (500 microg) Cr two times per day.

Subjects continued to take their normal medications and were

instructed not to change their normal eating and living habits. HbA1c

values improved significantly after 2 months in the group receiving

19.2 pmol (1,000 microg) Cr per day and was lower in both chromium

groups after 4 months (placebo, 8.5 +/- 0.2%; 3.85 micromol Cr, 7.5

+/- 0.2%; 19.2 micromol Cr, 6.6 +/- 0.1%). Fasting glucose was lower

in the 19.2-micromol group after 2 and 4 months (4-month values:

placebo, 8.8 +/- 0.3 mmol/l; 19.2 micromol Cr, 7.1 +/- 0.2 mmol/l).

Two-hour glucose values were also significantly lower for the

subjects consuming 19.2 micromol supplemental Cr after both 2 and 4

months (4-month values: placebo, 12.3 +/- 0.4 mmo/l; 19.2 micromol

Cr, 10.5 +/- 0.2 mmol/l). Fasting and 2-h insulin values decreased

significantly in both groups receiving supplemental chromium after 2

and 4 months. Plasma total cholesterol also decreased after 4 months

in the subjects receiving 19.2 micromol/day Cr. These data

demonstrate that supplemental chromium had significant beneficial

effects on HbA1c, glucose, insulin, and cholesterol variables in

subjects with type 2 diabetes. The beneficial effects of chromium in

individuals with diabetes were observed at levels higher than the

upper limit of the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake. "

PMID: 9356027

Rodney.

--- In , " Rodney " <perspect1111@...>

wrote:

>

> " Lower toenail chromium in men with diabetes and cardiovascular

> disease compared with healthy men. "

>

> Rajpathak S, Rimm EB, Li T, JS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu

FB.

>

> Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655

> Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02120, USA. srajpath@...

>

> OBJECTIVE: Chromium may improve insulin sensitivity, which can

modify

> the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore,

we

> evaluated the association between toenail chromium and CVD in

> diabetic men. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed cross-

> sectional and nested case-control analyses among men aged 40-75

years

> within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The cross-

sectional

> analysis compared men with diabetes only (n = 688), diabetes with

> prevalent CVD (n = 198), and healthy control subjects (n = 361).

The

> nested case-control study included 202 men with baseline diabetes

who

> developed incident CVD and 361 matched control subjects. RESULTS:

> Mean toenail chromium (microg/g) was 0.71 in healthy control

> subjects, 0.61 in diabetes-only subjects, and 0.52 in diabetic

> subjects with prevalent CVD (P for trend = 0.003). In the cross-

> sectional analysis, the multivariate odds ratio (OR) between

extreme

> quartiles was 0.74 (95% CI 0.49-1.11; P for trend = 0.18),

comparing

> diabetes only with healthy control subjects. A similar comparison

> between diabetic subjects with prevalent CVD and healthy control

> subjects yielded an OR of 0.45 (0.24-0.84; P for trend = 0.003). In

> the nested case-control study, comparing diabetic men with incident

> CVD with healthy control subjects, the multivariate OR was 0.65

(0.36-

> 1.17; P for trend = 0.16) between extreme quartiles. When we

combined

> prevalent and incident CVD cases among diabetic men and compared

them

> with healthy control subjects, the OR was 0.62 (0.39-1.01; P for

> trend = 0.02) between extreme quartiles. CONCLUSIONS: Our results

> suggest that diabetic men with CVD have lower toenail chromium than

> healthy control subjects. However, this study could not distinguish

> between the effects of chromium on diabetes and those on CVD. Long-

> term clinical trials are needed to determine whether chromium

> supplementation is beneficial for preventing CVD among diabetic

> patients. "

>

> PMID: 15333486

>

> Of course this does not prove that taking chromium supplements will

> reduce incidence of diabetes and/or CVD. But it is suggestive.

>

> (For many years I have been taking 200 mcg chromium weekly.)

>

> Rodney.

>

March 7, 2006