Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Chromium is a mineral found in very small amounts from food. This mineral can be found in two main forms: trivalent, which is the kind that people can consume in food and supplements, and hexavalent, which is toxic and found industrial pollution.
Chromium is known to be involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It also may help with insulin resistance, which is a precursor to diabetes. Perhaps most famously, chromium supplementation is also thought to be a potential natural treatment for depression. But before you head to the health food store, find out how chromium is believed to work and, of course, check with your doctor before you take any medication or nutritional supplement.
There are a few theories about why chromium might help relieve depression. One, based on early-stage animal studies, has to do with the way chromium causes cells to be more sensitive to insulin.
This increased sensitivity is thought to help transport an amino acid called tryptophan across the blood-brain barrier into the central nervous system. Tryptophan is converted into a neurotransmitter called serotonin —low levels of which are associated with depression.
Therefore, the more tryptophan that's transported by insulin, the more serotonin that's available in the brain. Chromium might also help depression by inducing and enhancing the release of norepinephrine, another mood-regulating neurotransmitter.
Lastly, research in both animals and humans has shown that chromium seems to decrease the activity of a particular type of serotonin receptor called a 5-HT 2A receptor. Scientists haven't figured how this happens, but the effect is similar to that seen in people who've used antidepressants for a long time.
So far, chromium has shown the most promise for treating subtypes of depression that affect carbohydrate cravings and appetite regulation, such as atypical depression. For example, one study showed that chromium may affect symptoms such as increased appetite and eating, carbohydrate cravings, and diurnal mood variation , a type of depression in which symptoms are worse in the morning but improve as the day goes on.
The research looking at chromium for treating depression is very preliminary, though, and findings have been mixed, so it's a long way from clear that chromium truly could be a viable treatment for depression. The good news is that most people are able to take chromium without any problem. The most common side effects are trouble sleeping at the beginning of taking chromium supplements; lots of vivid dreams; and mild tremors. It's also generally safe, so if chromium does pan out as a potential treatment for depression, it's likely to be easy for most people to use.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may be the one exception since chromium hasn't been tested for safety during pregnancy and lactation. Certain medications can interact with chromium.
In some cases, medications may impair or increase the absorption in chromium. In other instances, chromium may interfere with or enhance the effects of medications. Talk to your doctor before taking chromium if you are currently taking any of the following:. Since chromium can interfere with sleep, it's a good idea to take it in the morning. Do not take chromium supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and do not give supplements to children as the effects and safety for these populations have not been established.
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J Clin Pharm Ther ; This type of damage may lead to atherosclerosis. It is the reason that persons with diabetes are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. Excess circulatory glucose may also damage nerves. It is the reason that persons with uncontrolled diabetes experiences neuropathy. Insulin and chromium work with other elements to prevent such damage.
They both must function properly to prevent the destruction that free glucose may cause. They depend on each other to get the job done. Once the glucose lines up with a cell, it waits to enter. The insulin comes along and opens the door so that the glucose can enter. It is at this moment that chromium goes to work. Chromium binds to the glucose transporter and pushes the glucose into the door.
If there is no chromium or not enough in the body, the glucose just continues to sit at the door. It floats around the bloodstream waiting to enter. The body will eventually downgrade the receptor. When more food is ingested, more glucose is made.
The problem is compounded. The body thinks it does not have enough insulin to open the door for the glucose. The pancreas receives the signal. It makes more. The increase of insulin in the blood stream sends a signal that increases the need for more glucose. The person craves sugar to correct the balance. When more sugar is eaten, more insulin is produced. It is a vicious cycle. Insulin resistance is a persistent problem with little to no symptoms. It may take a long time before the person knows there is a problem.
The excess insulin in the body performs another task. If the amount of glucose is not reduced by its presence, insulin instructs the body to store it as fat. It is insulin that keeps watch over the fat storage and signals when to release it. The correct amount of chromium in the body may prevent this vicious cycle from the beginning. If chromium were available, then the insulin would open the door and chromium would assist in escorting it inside.
There the glucose would fuel the cells the way it was designed. The insulin would reduce in the bloodstream because the glucose level would drop back to normal. The craving for sugar and carbohydrates would subside, and weight loss may occur. As discussed above chromium plays an essential role in glucose metabolism.
It is also an important part of the balance preventing insulin resistance. Early prevention may greatly reduce the risk of type two diabetes.
Chromium is not easily absorbed. Deficiency has been a problem for many people that do not maintain a healthy diet. It is also a problem with older people that cannot absorb nutrients as efficiently. Some of the symptoms of deficiency can be:. The daily recommended intake of chromium is 25 micrograms. It is present in broccoli, turkey breast, red wine, green beans, and potatoes, to name a few. A healthy diet of lean meats, grains and vegetables may supply the balance needed.
Many would argue that the mineral depletion of the soil, or the processed food industry, has reduced the amount of chromium that is available in our food supply.
Even if we made healthy food choices we still may not get the number of nutrients we need. It may be necessary to supplement chromium if this is the suspicion. Chromium picolinate is the most common form of the supplement. Picolinate, picolinic acid, is a natural chelator. It allows the mineral to absorb better by surrounding it with a series of neutral molecules, which will allow it to pass into the cell membrane.
It delivers it safely for the body to utilize it properly. Chromium also comes in a glycinate. It is not as common to find as picolinate. Chromium glycinate is bound to the amino acid glycine.
Which delivers in a similar fashion to picolinate. Glycine is made by the body as part of our DNA. Another form is chromium nicotinate. Nicotinate is a salt or ester of the B complex vitamins.
This form is not as prevalent in stores but may be found online. It contains a form of Niacin. Without them, the chromium would be prevented from entering due to its positive ionic state. There is no definitive test to prove one superior to the others. No matter which form is chosen the benefits are the same. Bodybuilders and athletes experience enhanced performance. Persons suffering from type two diabetes or insulin resistance have reported normalizing effects and some cases reversal.
Improvements in endothelial function have been reported. In addition, improvements in cholesterol levels, biomarkers for oxidative stress, and atherosclerosis were reported in a study. Whether choosing chromium for weight loss or other health benefits it is essential to include it in a healthy diet.
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