Chromium is the metal that works with insulin to regulate blood glucose. The normal fasting blood glucose level is 70 to 100 mg per dl. Normal metabolism and good health are more easily maintained when plasma glucose is at normal levels. Insulin is the primary hormone that keeps glucose at normal levels.
The Basics
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. Although chromium is widely distributed in foods, its concentrations are generally very low, at the microgram level per serving. Fortunately, humans need only trace amounts of this metal. Significant amounts of chromium can be found in broccoli, romaine lettuce, onions, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes, oysters, liver, brewer's yeast and mushrooms. It is also found in whole grains, but it is often lost when grains are refined.
Function
The liver and muscles are the primary organs for storing and utilizing blood glucose, which typically goes up when food is consumed. Insulin is released from the pancreas to bring down blood glucose to normal levels. Insulin does this by accelerating glucose uptake by the muscles and liver. In the muscles, glucose can be oxidized for energy or stored as glycogen, a molecule formed by a chain of glucose molecules. In the liver, glucose is also stored as glycogen. Some glucose can also be converted to fat. Glycogen and fat are energy stores that can be used by the body for energy metabolism when plasma glucose levels go down.
Insulin Sensitivity
Insulin initiates glucose uptake by the liver and muscles by binding to the insulin receptors on the cell membrane. Insulin-activated transport of glucose becomes enhanced when insulin sensitivity goes up. Chromium makes insulin receptors more sensitive to insulin. Lower levels of insulin are needed for glucose uptake when insulin sensitivity goes up. This contrasts with a decrease in insulin sensitivity, as seen with insulin resistance, when higher levels of insulin are needed to transport glucose into the cells.
Beneficial Effects of Chromium
One effect of chromium is that it is very helpful in preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes because plasma glucose is more effectively regulated in the presence of chromium. This effective regulation of glucose also helps prevent high cholesterol levels and cardiovascular diseases.
Another beneficial effect of chromium is that it helps prevent or reverse excess body fat and obesity. When insulin performs its metabolic functions at low plasma concentrations, body fat synthesis becomes minimal or absent because elevated plasma levels of insulin support body fat synthesis, whereas low levels promote fat burning.
