Elevated intakes of supplemental chromium improve glucose and insulin variables in individuals with type 2 diabetes

Chromium is an essential nutrient involved in normal carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, The chromium requirement is postulated to increase with increased glucose intolerance and diabetes, The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the elevated intake of supplemental chromium is involved in the control of type 2 diabetes, Individuals being treated for type 2 diabetes (180 men and women) were divided randomly into three groups and supplemented with: 1) placebo, 2) 1.92 mu mol (100 mu g) Cr as chromium picolinate two times per day, or 3) 9.6 mu mol (500 mu g) Cr two times per day, Subjects continued to take their normal medications and were instructed not to change their normal eating and living habits, HbA(1c) values improved significantly after 2 months in the group receiving 19.2 mu mol (1,000 mu g) Cr per day and was lower in both chromium groups after 4 months (placebo, 8.5 +/- 0.2%; 3.85 mu mol Cr, 7.5 +/- 0.2%; 19.2 mu mol Cr, 6.6 +/- 0.1%), Easting glucose was lower in the 19.2-mu mol group after 2 and 4 months (4-month values: placebo, 8.8 +/- 0.3 mmol/l; 19.2 mu mol Cr, 7.1 +/- 0.2 mmol/l), Two-hour glucose values were also significantly lower for the subjects consuming 19.2 mu mol supplemental Cr after both 2 and 4 months (4-month values: placebo, 12.3 +/- 0.4 mmol/l; 19.2 mu mol Cr, 10.5 +/- 0.2 mmol/l), Fasting and 2-h insulin values decreased significantly in both groups receiving supplemental chromium after 2 and 4 months, Plasma total cholesterol also decreased after 4 months in the subjects receiving 19.2 mu mol/day Cr. These data demonstrate that supplemental chromium had significant beneficial effects on HbA(1c), glucose, insulin, and cholesterol variables in subjects with type 2 diabetes, The beneficial effects of chromium in individuals with diabetes were observed at levels higher than the upper Limit of the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake.