Chromium and Diabetes

Perhaps our widespread deficiency of chromium helps to explain why we as a nation are so prone to type 2 diabetes.

Though a chromium deficiency doesn’t directly cause type 2 diabetes, it’s central role in carbohydrate metabolism means that it’s making a significant contribution to the spread of the disease.

Chromium enhances glucose utilization within the brain. For this reason, a severe deficiency of chromium can cause fatigue, nerve damage and various psychiatric disorders.

The standard American diet (or S.A.D. for short) includes very few chromium rich foods which makes it very difficult for us to obtain the chromium we need from our diet.

If your body is unable to make it’s own chromium and as we age we lose our ability to absorb it, supplementation may be required. It would be simple to diagnose a chromium deficiency and prescribe a chromium supplement if we only had an accurate lab test.

Though there is no test to determine your chromium level, there is a test you can use that will give you an indication of your chromium level. Your triglyceride level is a rough indicator of your blood insulin level.

Numerous scientific studies have established that the more refined carbohydrate you consume, the higher your triglyceride level climbs. If your doctor tells you your triglyceride level is high – you may want to consider taking a chromium supplement.

Diabetics are often chromium deficient. This is because diabetics have a problem converting the chromium in their diet into a form the body can use. Also diabetics tend to excrete more chromium in their urine.

If you’re a diabetic you simply must coordinate your chromium supplement use with your personal physician. Since diabetics are often chromium deficient, taking a chromium supplement may cause your blood sugar to drop precipitously which could cause hypoglycemia - a serious health problem. Even if you’re not having any blood sugar problems, it’s best to keep your doctor informed about your chromium use.

Richard Anderson, Ph.D. chief chemist at the Nutrient Requirements and Functions Laboratory at the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found that chromium actually increases the number of insulin binding receptors on cells, increasing their sensitivity to glucose.

He feels that chromium supplementation may be required by some but that they may need to take the supplements for several weeks before they may notice a positive effect.

Psychological depression is common in those who are severely deficient in chromium. For that reason depressed individuals often experience an improvement in their mood when they start taking a chromium supplement.

Some patients are resistant to the usual anti-depression medications (Called SSRIs – Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) such as Luvox, Paxil and of course Prozac). Many of these resistant patients report substantial improvements in their depression following chromium supplement use.

Also, a 2005 study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice found that chromium is especially helpful for depressed patients who have a problem with overeating. This effect is probably due to chromium’s ability to reduce blood insulin levels.

There are very few ways in which a person can raise the level of their “good” cholesterol – the HDL form. Chromium supplements are one of those rare means. Doctors will usually recommend that their patients with low HDL levels increase their daily exercise. Unfortunately too many patients listen very respectfully to their physician’s advice and then completely ignore it. But here we have a safe and simple way to give our HDL levels a boost without any sweat or effort.

Always remember that since our chromium levels decline as we age due to a age-related decrease in chromium absorption the elderly are often deficient. Also, the elderly tend to consume diets that tend to become more and more restrictive with the passing years. Digestive and dental problems often cause them to abandon many kinds of foods. This only adds to their overall nutritional decline and chromium is no exception.

There are no generally accepted recommended dietary allowances for chromium. The amount of chromium needed to meet normal daily requirement can vary widely from one individual to another.
According to the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, the safe and adequate daily intakes of chromium are:

A single dose of chromium before a high-carbohydrate meal can substantially reduce blood sugar and blood insulin levels measured after the meal.

For many years body builders have been taking large doses of chromium in the belief that it will help them lose weight and build muscle more quickly.

Though supplement makers have for years been claiming that their chromium supplements will magically melt off the pounds without restrictive diets or strenuous exercise – you should take their claims with a grain of salt. There’s very little research to support their obviously inflated claims.

If you’re on a weight loss diet, a chromium supplement may help you reduce the food cravings that accompany many weight loss regimes. And chromium might also help you keep your appetite in check. But don’t expect miracles. Any positive effect will probably be rather modest. ■

Chromium Deficiency and the Diabetes Epidemic