Insulin resistance is defined by the American Diabetes Association as the body's failure to adequately react to and use insulin to provide glucose to the cells. Several diseases and conditions are linked to insulin resistance including obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, atherosclerosis, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and high cholesterol. Chromium picolinate may assist with insulin resistance, but check with your physician before taking.
Insulin Resistance
Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas in response to the presence of glucose in your blood when you eat. The surface of your cells contain receptors, or locks, that insulin binds to, or unlocks, to allow the glucose to enter. If the cells response to insulin becomes impaired, less and less glucose enters your cells. Without the adequate use of glucose, blood sugar levels rise. Impaired response by the cells to insulin may lead to glucose intolerance, insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. The unused glucose is stored as fat, usually around the midriff, which then becomes a contributing factor to metabolic syndrome.
Chromium Picolinate
Chromium is a mineral that comes in two forms, the one that is used for chrome plating on your car, known as hexavalent chromium, and the type you ingest in your foods and that comes as a supplement, trivalent chromium. Chromium picolinate is one of several forms of trivalent chromium. It is a combination of chromium and picolinic acid. The picolinic acid aids in the absorption of the chromium. Chromium is involved in glucose metabolism, sensitizing the cells to insulin to enhance glucose uptake for energy.
Insulin Levels and Chromum Picolinate Supplementation
An examination of 15 clinical studies showed positive outcomes in at least 13 studies in which diabetic individuals received chromium picolinate supplementation in their diet. This 2006 review in the journal "Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics" also showed that chromium picolinate produced decreased cholesterol and triglycerides, improved blood glucose and insulin levels, and the reduced need for hypoglycemic medication. The paper noted that Type 2 diabetes begins with insulin resistance, concluding that chromium picolinate was a safe and therapeutic management tool for this condition.
Sources of Chromium
Although few Americans are deficient in chromium, up to 90 percent may have low chromium levels, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. This is exacerbated by age, strenuous exercise, pregnancy and the consumption of high-sugar foods. The adequate intake level, UL, set by the Food and Nutrition Board, is 35 mcg per day. Foods rich in chromium include 1/2 cup broccoli with 11 mcg, 3 oz. processed turkey ham with 10.4 mcg, 8 oz. grape juice with 7.5 mcg and one English muffin with 3.6 mcg.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Basics
- Linus Pauling Institute: Chromium
- Vanderbilt University: Chromium Picolinate and Weight Loss
- "Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics"; Clinical Studies on Chromium Picolinate Supplementation in Diabetes Mellitus---A Review; C. Leigh Broadhurst, et al.; Dec.2006
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Chromium
