SChromium is a mineral found in many foods. It is an essential mineral necessary for average glucose and lipid metabolism. Chromium acts as an amplifier of insulin action and is a glucose tolerance factor. Insulin is a vital hormone for the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Chromium acts on the insulin receptor, amplifying its action and stimulating the uptake of glucose and amino acids in cells.
What Is Chromium?
Chromium is a trace mineral that can help with insulin sensitivity and protein, carbohydrate, and lipid metabolism. It’s a metallic element that individuals only require in trace amounts. Because of its effects on insulin action, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine designated chromium as an essential nutrient in 2001.
Facts
- Chromium is a mineral that humans need in tiny quantities.
- Good sources include broccoli, liver, and also brewers’ yeast.
- Chromium supplements may enhance muscle mass, weight loss, and glucose control, but researchers are still working to confirm this.
Food Sources
Some of the best sources of chromium are broccoli, liver, and brewer’s yeast. Chromium contains potatoes, oysters, apples, bananas, spinach, whole grains, seafood, and meats because It is also present in condiments such as black pepper.
The following are good sources:
- Turkey breast: 3 ounces contains 2 mcg
- Broccoli: 1 cup contains 22 mcg
- Grape juice: 1 cup contains eight mcg
- Green beans: 1 cup contains 2 mcg
- Potatoes, mashed: 1 cup contains 3 mcg
- Red wine: 5 ounces contains between 1 and 13 mcg
- English muffin: one whole wheat muffin contains 4 mcg
Dietary Requirements
Because chromium is available in modest amounts in most foods, getting enough dietary chromium is simple. You can receive all the chromium you need by eating a well-balanced diet, including meats, complete grains, dairy products, fruits, and also vegetables.
Specialists develop Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) in the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and also Medicine’s Division of Health and Medicine. The DRIs for chromium are based on age and sex and represent the amount thought to need by a healthy person. Pregnant or breastfeeding women need more chromium.
Reference Dietary Intake
Females
- 1 to 3 years: 11 micrograms per day
- 4 to 8 years: 15 micrograms per day
- 9 to 13 years: 21 micrograms per day
- 14 to 18 years: 24 micrograms per day
- 19 to 50 years: 25 micrograms per day
- 51+ years: 20 micrograms per day
- Pregnant women: 30 micrograms per day
- Breastfeeding women: 45 micrograms per day
Males
- 1 to 3 years: 11 micrograms per day
- 4 to 8 years: 15 micrograms per day
- 9 to 13 years: 25 micrograms per day
- 14 to 18 years: 35 micrograms per day
- 19 to 50 years:35 micrograms per day
- 51+ years: 30 micrograms per day
Supplements
Chromium is most multivitamin/mineral supplements, usually 35–120 mcg. Only chromium supplements are also available, with most providing 200 mcg to 500 mcg of chromium. However, some carry up to 1,000 mcg.
Many different chromium types can be found in dietary supplements, such as chromium nicotinate, chromium picolinate, chromium polynicotinate, chromium chloride, and chromium histidine. The absorption of various chromium forms is very similar. The absorption of different types of chromium is relatively comparable.
According to studies, the amount of chromium absorbed from chromium picolinate is about 1.2 percent, whereas the proportion absorbed from chromium chloride is about 0.4 percent. These percentages are comparable to the amount of chromium absorbed through meals. Chromium deficiency is a condition in which the body lacks the mineral chrome
Chromium insufficiency is a common occurrence. It is stated as the result of a chromium deficiency in the diet. So, It’s one of the most abundant elements in the earth’s crust and also saltwater, yet it’s only found in trace levels in humans.
Symptoms of Chromium Deficiency
- Weight loss
- Impaired coordination, and a reduced response to sugar (glucose) in the blood
- Increase in the risk of diabetes.
- Peripheral neuropathy and confusion.
- Poor Blood Glucose Control
- Poor Skin Health
- Stunted Growth and Development
- Low Concentration and Poor Memory
- Delayed times in Health Wounds or Recovery from Surgery
- High Blood Sugar
- Weak Bones
- High Cholesterol
- High Blood Pressure
- Insulin Resistance
- Fatigue
- Changes in Appetite
Chromium: Impact On Health And Diabetes
Breakdown of Fats and Carbohydrates
Chromium is necessary for fat and carbohydrate breakdown. It promotes the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. They are essential for brain function as well as other bodily functions. Chromium also aids in the action of insulin and the breakdown of glucose.
Maintain Healthy Cholesterol Levels
Because chromium influences insulin and blood sugar and may help you maintain a healthy cholesterol level while also reducing your hunger, healthy overweight women were given chromium supplements or a placebo in this trial. Compared to the placebo group, the ladies in the chromium group ate considerably fewer calories and felt less hungry after 8 weeks.
Several investigations have found a link between low chromium levels and high blood cholesterol levels. As a result, scientists believe that chromium supplementation could help to lower blood cholesterol levels. This potential investigates various populations, including those with poor glucose tolerance, diabetes, or PCOS.
Disease Prevention
According to an early study on poor glucose tolerance, supplementing people’s meals with chromium increased glucose utilization or improved lipid profiles. Supplementation shown in certain studies to lower blood sugar levels and insulin levels, which are essential for people with diabetes. Chromium may also aid in the prevention of mental illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Diabetes
Some data suggest that taking chromium picolinate (a chromium-containing chemical molecule) by mouth, either alone or in combination with biotin, can assist persons with type 2 diabetes with lower fasting blood sugar and lower insulin levels, and improved insulin levels insulin function.
In addition, chromium picolinate may reduce weight gain and fat accumulation in persons with type 2 diabetes using sulfonylureas, a type of anti-diabetic drug. Higher chromium dosages may be more efficient and effective. Higher doses may lower the number of specific blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides) in certain persons.
Because chromium is one of the essential components for carbohydrate metabolism, there has been a lot of research into its involvement in controlling type 2 diabetes. “Some people supplement chromium to help with blood sugar control since it affects insulin action,” Armul explains.
According to a review of clinical trials, chromium improves insulin function and helps prevent type 1, type 2, gestational, and steroid-induced diabetes.
Weight Loss and Improved Body Composition
Because this mineral may enhance insulin action, some researchers believe that supplementing could minimize the amount of glucose turned into fat while also increasing protein synthesis and muscle mass. Some preliminary study suggests that chromium supplementation may help people eat less, feel less hungry, and have fewer fat cravings.
As a result, supplementation with this mineral has been recommended to help people lose weight and improve their body composition by reducing body fat and boosting lean body mass; its effects on these outcomes have been studied in multiple clinical trials.
This mineral demonstrate to improve lean body mass and decrease body fat percentage in humans, potentially resulting in weight loss and its effects on glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism. Although the effects of chromium on body composition are controversial, animal studies back them up, lending legitimacy to their claims.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Chromium improves insulin activity by increasing glucose uptake from the blood into the cell. It boosts insulin binding to cells by increasing the number of insulin receptors on the cell membrane. It also increases insulin sensitivity by activating insulin receptor kinase. Researchers have looked into utilizing chromium to assist people with diabetes in maintaining their blood sugar levels because of its function in insulin action.
Additionally, research has been conducted on the use of chromium in the treatment of depression and cholesterol management. Since this mineral amplifies the effects of insulin, your pancreas is more likely to secrete a healthy dose of insulin as opposed to excess. This is important because high insulin levels can lead to many problems. Plus, when your insulin levels are within a healthy range, insulin helps maintain strong bones. This may explain why studies have found that those with type 1 diabetes (an insulin deficiency) often have low bone density.
Regular exercise is also proven one of the best ways to increase insulin sensitivity. It helps move sugar into the muscles for storage and promotes an immediate increase in insulin sensitivity, which lasts 2–48 hours, depending on the exercise
In addition, once your pancreas can make enough insulin to overcome the cells’ weak response to insulin, your blood sugar levels will stay in a healthy range. So, If your cells become too resistant to insulin, it leads to elevated blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia), which, over time, leads to prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes.
HealthCodes DNA™ insulin sensitivity response to cardio exercise differs between individuals based on their genetics and HealthCodes DNA™ helps clients identify and address these differences.
Blood Sugar Balance
Chromium is a mineral that the human body requires in small amounts for various tasks. Chromium is particularly beneficial for blood sugar regulation, weight management, and even cognitive performance. Because chromium is involved in the pathways that signal insulin in our systems, it aids in the regulation of sugar absorption into our circulation and cells.
As a result, it aids in the regulation of blood sugar levels and provides us with consistent energy throughout the day. Chromium’s primary function in the human body is maintaining blood sugar equilibrium. It accomplishes this by interfering with the effective transport of glucose into cells. Once glucose is transported to the cells, it may utilize for energy, resulting in more balanced and stable blood sugar levels. Chromium also helps support carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.
Conclusion
Diets rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, moderate in alcohol consumption, and lower in refined grains, red/processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages have been demonstrated to reduce diabetes risk and improve glycemic control and blood lipids in patients with diabetes.
Consult your doctor before adding extra chromium to your diet — or any other supplement. Some medicines react with chromium, making one or both of them less effective. According to Majumdar, “antacids, corticosteroids, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors modify stomach acidity and may decrease chromium absorption.” She adds that NSAIDs and prostaglandin inhibitors, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, should not be taken with chromium since their effects may be heightened. Chromium is a mineral that should be used with caution. Women’s renal troubles have been linked to doses between 1200 and 1400 mcg per day, so start with small amounts and contact your healthcare practitioner first.