Gabriel Cousens
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 Women with gestational diabetes whose diets were supplemented with 4 meg of chromium per kilogram of body weight daily as chromium picolinate for eight weeks had decreased fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, compared with those who took a placebo.166,167
Dosage: Niacin-bound chromiurn is more bioavailable than chromium picolinate. A recent study at the University of California found that chromium polynicotinate was absorbed and retained up to 311 percent better than chromium picolinate and 672 percent better than chromium chloride. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 And this chromium is not a picolinate, because there has been research with chromium picolinate that shows that you can actually get genetic damage. It actually goes to the DNA, drops the chromium off and it can damage the gene. I do not use chromium picolinate. I use chromium polynicotinate and arginate, and those are well known forms that are a better choice. It is important, and many people do not know this information.
You cannot send a vitamin into Canada that has chromium picolinate in it. The Canadians understand. |
Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.
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 She says, "Show me where the amount of picolinate used in those hamster cell studies has any bearing whatsoever on what a human being would consume if they took chromium picolinate in the ranges we're recommending." Dr. C. Leigh Broadhurst, who worked with Dr. Richard Anderson on the development of chromium picolinate at the USDA, agrees. Others are more cautious. "I'm about 99.9 percent sure that chromium picolinate is safe," says Dr. Harry Preuss. |
Jack Challem
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 Nutrition 21
Nutrition 21 is the company behind the popular Chromax brand of chromium picolinate, which is also sold under much more familiar brand names. In addition, Nutrition 21 also sells Chromax and Diachrome, the latter a chromium picolinate/biotin combination.
Thome Research
Thorne sells its extensive line of high-quality supplements primarily to physicians, but it also accepts orders from consumers. For more information, call (208) 263-1337 or go to www.thorne.com.
Natural Food Grocers
I recommend that you eat nutrient-dense fresh and natural foods. |
Gabriel Cousens
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| Dosage: Niacin-bound chromiurn is more bioavailable than chromium picolinate. A recent study at the University of California found that chromium polynicotinate was absorbed and retained up to 311 percent better than chromium picolinate and 672 percent better than chromium chloride. Generally, chromium supplementation at doses of about 200 meg/day, in a variety of forms for two to three months have been found in studies to be beneficial. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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| I do not use chromium picolinate. I use chromium polynicotinate and arginate, and those are well known forms that are a better choice. It is important, and many people do not know this information.
You cannot send a vitamin into Canada that has chromium picolinate in it. The Canadians understand. I use those polynicotinate and arginate forms of chromium at a couple of hundred micrograms per capsule. A typical diabetic would need to take, in the human case, three a day, and they would get 600 micrograms of chromium, which is a good amount and is therapeutic chromium for people with diabetes. |
Jack Challem
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| University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, became curious when patients taking medications for depression and overeating suddenly felt better, ate less, and lost weight after they started taking supplements of chromium picolinate. Rather than dismiss his patients' testimonials, McLeod tested chromium picolinate supplements on other patients. Many were able to reduce or eliminate their prescription antidepression medications. Chromium may increase brain levels of tryptophan and serotonin.
Dosage: Take 400 to 1,000 meg daily. |
| If feelings of depression are associated with excessive appetite, overeating, or overweight, supplements of chromium picolinate may be of particular benefit. The discovery of chromium's value in atypical depression was first published in 1999 by Malcolm McLeod, M.D., a psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. Since then, further studies by McLeod and others have confirmed the effectiveness of chromium picolinate in depression that involves overeating. Take 400 meg daily or 200 meg twice daily with meals.
5-HTP. |
Michael Friedman, ND
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 One hundred and eighty men and women were randomly assigned to groups receiving either a placebo, 100 meg chromium picolinate twice daily, or 500 meg chromium picolinate twice daily. During the trial, subjects continued all medications and were instructed to sustain their normal eating and lifestyle habits. Fasting glucose, 2-hour glucose levels, and fasting and 2-hour insulin values decreased significantly during the 4-month study in both groups receiving the supplementary chromium, suggestive of an improvement in insulin resistance. |
Jack Challem
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 This supplement combines chromium picolinate with biotin. More information is available at www.diachrome.com. and water levels of iodine are low in many parts of the United States, including vast parts of the Midwest, for years commercial salt has been iodized to prevent gross deficiencies. Large amounts of iodine, however, may be beneficial.
Jorge D. Flechas, M.D., of Hendersonville, North Carolina, has reported that large doses of iodine are especially helpful for people with diabetes. |
| The two leading forms of this mineral are chromium polynicotinate and chromium picolinate, and both forms have been extensively tested in people. It's often difficult to sort through the competitive claims and counterclaims for these products; however, we are impressed by the research of Harry Preuss, M.D., of Georgetown University, who found that the chromium polynicotinate form promotes fat loss but preserves muscle. Some research also suggests that chromium polynicotinate is better absorbed than other forms. |
| This certainly doesn't mean that chromium alone will reverse prediabetes; however, many studies have shown that either chromium polynicotinate or chromium picolinate supplements do in fact improve insulin function and can lead to improved glucose tolerance. Based on the research, the most effective dose of chromium appears to be 1,000 meg, or 500 meg twice daily with meals. We recommend the chromium polynicotinate form, also called niacin-bound chromium, which has a strong record of safety and use in supplements, beverages, and foods.
Biotin. |
| Meanwhile, research has shown that chromium picolinate helps to prevent weight gain associated with the use of the diabetic drug glipizide (Glucotrol). Other forms of chromium, such as chromium glycinate chelate, may work as well. Regardless of the specific form, the research on chromium and diabetes points to the greater efficacy of higher dosages, so we recommend trying 500 meg twice daily. Another product, Super CitriMax, combines chromium polynicotinate with calcium and potassium hydroxycitrates, which together seem to reduce appetite and may help with weight loss.
Omega-3 fish oils. |
Marshall Editions
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 Take 200-400 mg of chromium picolinate a day. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is also a component of glucose tolerance factor. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) helps to control fat metabolism and improves the response to stress. Vitamin B6 balances hormone levels. Take 50 mg of a B-complex vitamin that contains all of the above B vitamins three times a day. Inositol increases the effectiveness of insulin in women with PCOS, reduces male hormone levels, and restores normal periods. Although inositol can be found in a B-complex vitamin, a total of 500 mg should be taken twice a day. |
Jonny Bowden, M.A., C.N.S.
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| Richard Anderson on the development of chromium picolinate at the USDA, agrees. Others are more cautious. "I'm about 99.9 percent sure that chromium picolinate is safe," says Dr. Harry Preuss. "But if there's even a glimmer of doubt, and it's something you're going to be taking for years, why not stick with a form of chromium where there's no question whatsoever about the safety?"
So, what to do? Should you take chromium if you are struggling with weight, blood sugar, and insulin resistance issues? Absolutely. |
Jack Challem
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| Try 500 meg of chromium polynicotinate or chromium picolinate daily.
Supplements That Might Help with Fuzzy Thinking
Eating more protein and fewer sugars and carbs, particularly for breakfast and lunch, may help to keep your mind focused. In addition, try these supplements.
• B-complex vitamins, in the form of a high-potency supplement.
• Omega-3 fish oils, 2 to 3 grams daily.
• GABA, 200 mg daily. Gamma amino butyric acid, an amino acid and neurotransmitter, helps your brain to filter out distractions.
• L-theanine, 100 mg twice daily. |
Michael Friedman, ND
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| One hundred and eighty men and women were randomly assigned to groups receiving either a placebo, 100 meg chromium picolinate twice daily, or 500 meg chromium picolinate twice daily. During the trial, subjects continued all medications and were instructed to sustain their normal eating and lifestyle habits. Fasting glucose, 2-hour glucose levels, and fasting and 2-hour insulin values decreased significantly during the 4-month study in both groups receiving the supplementary chromium, suggestive of an improvement in insulin resistance. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Chromium picolinate (see page 46) does the same thing and is a great supplement to use together with a low-carb diet to help manage both blood sugar and insulin.
In addition to chromium, which improves glucose tolerance, decreases fasting blood sugar, and has been shown to help insulin resistance in people with diabetes, two other supplements may be helpful. Though not normally thought of as the first nutrient you'd take for PCOS, biotin in high doses (8 to 16 mg) should be considered because it has the potential to be of great help in normalizing and lowering blood sugar. |
Marshall Editions
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| Take 200-400 mg of chromium picolinate a day. Vitamin B3 (niacin) is a component of j glucose tolerance factor, vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) helps to control fat metabolism and improves the response to stress, and vitamin B6 balances hormone levels. It is best to take 50 mg of a B-complex vitamin that contains all the above B vitamins three times a day. Inositol increases the effectiveness of insulin in I people with PCOS, reduces male hormone levels, and restores normal periods. Although inositol can be found in a B-complex vitamin, a total of 500 mg should be taken twice a day. |
Jack Challem
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 McLeod, a psychiatrist at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, found that chromium picolinate supplements (averaging 400 meg daily) relieved depression, reduced hunger and appetite, and, in some patients, led to significant weight loss. A separate study by U.S. and Chinese researchers found that 1,000 meg of chromium picolinate daily reduced glucose and insulin levels to almost normal after four months. |
Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. and Alan R. Gaby, M.D.
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 We prefer the better-absorbed forms of chromium, such as chromium picolinate, chromium aspartate, or chromium polynicotinate. The optimal intake of chromium varies from person to person. For most individuals, 200 to 500 meg per day is adequate; however, in our experience, some patients appear to need 1,000 meg per day or more.
Recently, a few scientists have expressed concern that long-term use of large doses of chromium, particularly chromium picolinate, may cause chromosomal abnormalities. |
Steven V. Joyal
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 The effect of chromium picolinate and bio-tin supplementation on glycemic control in poorly controlled patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized trial. Diabetes Technol Ther 2006 Dec; 8(6):636-43.
Smith B et al. Does coffee consumption reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with impaired glucose? Diabetes Care 2005; 29:2385-90.
Song DU et al. Effect of drinking green tea on age-associated accumulation of Maillard-type fluorescence and carbonyl groups in rat aortic and skin collagen. Arch Biochem Biophys 2002 Jan 15; 397(2):424-29. |
Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. and Alan R. Gaby, M.D.
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| Recently, a few scientists have expressed concern that long-term use of large doses of chromium, particularly chromium picolinate, may cause chromosomal abnormalities. That concern is based on test-tube studies that used extremely large concentrations of chromium picolinate. This problem has not actually been shown to occur in humans or experimental animals. Toxicity studies in animals have shown that chromium is remarkably safe; it has one of the lowest toxicity profiles of all the essential trace minerals. |
Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD, FRCP(C) and Dr. Jonathan Prousjy, DPHE, DSC, ND, FRSH
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 In a study involving 185 adult-onset diabetic patients, there were significant decreases in the concentration of fasting and 2-hour glucose levels, insulin, hemoglobin A1C, and total cholesterol among patients supplemented with 1000 meg of chromium picolinate compared to those on 200 meg of chromium picolinate or placebo. Thus, chromium as part of the LMWCr should have the ability to improve glucose tolerance and increase insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients with poor glucose control.
Depression: Taking 500 meg daily of chromium has antidepressant therapeutic properties. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| Anderson himself is partial to chromium picolinate, while other experts, like Preuss, favor niacin-bound chromium (chromium polynicoti-nate or chromium nicotinate, sold under the brand name ChromeMate). There's also GTF chromium (GTF stands for glucose tolerance factor), but this is a mislabeling and a misconception; no such substance exists.
Interestingly, a high-sugar and processed-food diet actually drains chromium from the body, so the paradox is that those who need it the most have the least of it. Infection, pregnancy, and stress may also reduce levels. |
Dr. Steve Blake
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 Chromium chloride is a poorly absorbed form. chromium picolinate is the form used in much of the research on the health effects of chromium and is well absorbed. Chromium nicotinate also has good bioavailability. Certain nutritional yeast products are fortified with chromium and have good bioavailability.
TOXICITY OF CHROMIUM
As noted above, hexavalent chromium is known to cause cancer and skin irritation. There have been no convincing reports of toxicity from the trivalent chromium in food or supplements. Therefore, the Food and Nutrition Board has not set an upper level for chromium. |
Jack Challem
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| Since then, further studies by McLeod and others have confirmed the effectiveness of chromium picolinate in depression that involves overeating. Take 400 meg daily or 200 meg twice daily with meals.
5-HTP. Technically known as 5-hydroxytryptophan, 5-HTP is the immediate precursor to serotonin. The supplement increases serotonin levels, whereas antidepressant drugs try to maintain higher levels (which may be difficult if there is not much serotonin to work with). The 5-HTP molecule is built around tryptophan, an amino acid found in meats, fowl, and fish. |
Steven V. Joyal
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| Martin J et al. chromium picolinate supplementation attenuates body weight gain and increases insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2006 Aug; 29(8): 1826-32.
McKenney J, Sica D. Prescription omega-3 fatty acids for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia. Am J Health-System Pharm 2007; 646:595-605.
Medina MC et al. Dehydtoepiandrosterone increases beta-cell mass and improves the glucose-induced insulin secretion by pancreatic islets from aged rats. FEBSLett 2006 Jan 9; 580(l):285-90.
Melhem MF et al. |
Gabriel Cousens
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| A recent study at the University of California found that chromium polynicotinate was absorbed and retained up to 311 percent better than chromium picolinate and 672 percent better than chromium chloride. Generally, chromium supplementation at doses of about 200 meg/day, in a variety of forms for two to three months have been found in studies to be beneficial. |
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