Syndrome X is a cluster of metabolic conditions that has become epidemic among Americans. The Linus Pauling Institute states that more than a third of all Americans over age 20 have this syndrome. Developing syndrome X may lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes as well as impair the quality of your life. One key recommendation to decrease your risk of developing syndrome X is losing weight. Chromium picolinate may play a key role, but consult with your doctor first.
Diagnosing Syndrome X
If you have three or more of the following conditions, your doctor may diagnose you with syndrome X, also called metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome X or insulin resistance syndrome. They are: a HDL, or "good" cholesterol, level of below 40 mg/dl for men and 50 mg/dl for women; glucose intolerance or insulin resistance, with a fasting blood sugar of more than 100 mg/dl; abdominal obesity, with a waist measurement exceeding 40 inches for men and 35 inches for women; triglyceride levels higher than 150 mg/dl; and blood pressure greater than 13/85 mmg/Hg.
About Chromium
Chromium is one of the most abundant elements in the world. It is most commonly found in an oxidized state in one of two forms, trivalent and hexavalent. Hexavalent chromium is made from trivalent and is highly toxic. Trivalent chromium is the form you find in foods, plants, water and supplements. It is very low in toxicity and because your body cannot manufacture it, trivalent chromium is considered an essential nutrient. Chromium picolinate is a type of trivalent chromium that is better absorbed by the body with a greater amount being utilized.
Insulin Resistance
Insulin resistance is commonly associated with overweight or obesity. It may also be a precusor to Type 2 diabetes. The University of Washington states the causes of insulin resistance are a rise of fatty acids, mainly seen as fat around the midriff; changes in the adipose, or fat, secretions; and low-level, chronic inflammation. Losing weight may help, but the system that maintains your body's weight at a set point, goes into a negative feed-back loop and sets your body's "normal" weight higher than normal. This leads to lowered metabolic rate and increased hunger, making weight loss challenging.
Chromium Picolinate and Insulin Resistance
Chromium picolinate's action in the body is not fully understood. A review in "Diabetes Care" notes an incident of a patient receiving total parenteral nutrition developing severe diabetes. It was found that the diet was lacking in chromium. Upon supplementation, signs of diabetes receded. The article also notes two studies of subjects with metabolic syndrome. Supplements of chromium picolinate showed marked improvement on glucose and insulin metabolism in one group, but only improved insulin sensitivity in another, with no loss of body weight. As with all supplements, use only on the advice of your doctor.
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