The mineral chromium is an essential nutrient, which you must obtain through food or supplements. Eating a variety of healthy food prevents deficiency for most people, according to licensed dietitian Joanne Larsen at the website Ask The Dietitian. For individuals who can benefit from taking chromium supplements, several forms are available, including chromium polynicotinate. Consult with a knowledgeable health care provider before taking chromium supplements.
Considerations
The digestive tract absorbs a low percentage of chromium, with maximum absorption only about 2.5 percent of the amount consumed, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS. Up to 90 percent of Americans eat diets low in chromium, as noted by the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, but few of them are actually chromium deficient because the body only needs trace amounts. Elderly people, pregnant women, people who perform strenuous exercise and people who eat large amounts of foods high in simple sugars are most likely to have chromium deficiencies.
Types
Vitamin B3, also known as niacin and nicotinic acid, increases absorption of chromium, according to the ODS. Chromium polynicotinate, the same substance as chromium nicotinate and chromium niacinate, consists of chromium bound with niacin, explains the Supplement Research Foundation. Chromium picolinate is another common type of chromium supplement, with chromium bound to a metabolite of the amino acid tryptophan. The ODS notes that limited data prevents the agency from recommending a specific type of chromium supplement, but advises against taking chromium chloride because of poor bioavailability.
Chromium Polynicotinate Absorption
Chromium is associated with reduced blood sugar. A study published in the September 1987 issue of "Metabolism" investigated whether poor chromium absorption is linked to inadequate dietary nicotinic acid. For 28 days, 16 healthy elderly participants took either chromium or nicotinic acid alone, or 200 micrograms of chromium along with 100 milligrams of nicotinic acid, each day. While chromium and nicotinic acid by themselves did not affect fasting blood sugar levels, combining the two substances caused a 7 percent decrease in fasting blood sugar levels.
Chromium and Diabetes
Low chromium can be a factor in high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes, according to the UMMC. People with this condition either do not produce enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin their bodies produce to convert sugars into energy. This causes sugar to build up in the bloodstream. Chromium appears to help insulin bring sugar from the blood into the cells for energy. While some research has not found any benefits of chromium supplementation for diabetic patients, other studies indicate that chromium supplements may lower blood sugar levels and increase the effectiveness of certain diabetes medications, explains the UMMC. Some people with type 1 diabetes may be able to lower their insulin doses while taking chromium supplements, according to the UMMC.
Chromium Polynicotinate and Blood Fats
Low chromium levels can also increase levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and increase the risk for heart disease, according to the UMMC. Research with diabetic rats published in the Oct. 15, 2007 issue of "Free Radical Biology and Medicine" found that chromium niacinate lowers blood levels of lipids and proinflammatory cytokines, and appears to be a more effective form of chromium supplementation than other types.
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