chromium prompts muscles to become more efficient

yeahright

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New study finds chromium picolinate helps muscles use blood sugar

NewsRx.com

03-02-06

A new study published in February's Journal of Nutrition reports chromium prompts muscles to become more efficient.

Researchers found that daily use of chromium picolinate enhanced muscle sensitivity to insulin in obese, insulin-resistant rats. Specifically, chromium improved the ability of insulin, after attaching to muscle cells, to enhance chemical signals in the cell that promoted blood sugar uptake. The study, funded in part by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and conducted by researchers at Pennington Biomedical Research Center (PBRC), is the first published study using this animal model to demonstrate chromium's action in this way.

"Insulin resistance is a condition in which tissues such as fat and muscle in the body respond poorly to insulin, the major hormone required for glucose metabolism. This condition is present in prediabetic states and continues when a person develops diabetes. Previous research suggested that supplementation with chromium picolinate may help improve this condition," said Dr. William Cefalu, investigator and chief of the division of nutrition and chronic diseases at PBRC. "This animal study is significant because it suggests a more detailed mechanism of action for chromium on improving insulin sensitivity in muscle, a major insulin-sensitive tissue."

Chromium is one of the few essential trace minerals for which a specific mechanism of action had not been completely identified. This study demonstrated that chromium picolinate helps insulin receptor sites on muscle cells work more efficiently. Insulin receptors on the outer part of a cell allow the cell to bind with insulin in the blood. When the cell and insulin bind, signals within the cell activate "glucose transporters" so that the cell can then take up glucose from the blood and use it for energy. The result was a significantly improved rate at which muscles absorbed glucose from the blood and metabolized it. Impaired insulin action, in the obese rats used in this study, was partially restored with chromium supplementation. In a control group of lean, healthy rats with no abnormalities, chromium supplementation exhibited no observable additional effect on insulin receptor activity.

The study also found that obese, insulin-resistant rats treated with chromium picolinate had improved triglyceride and total high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratios. These findings support previous research demonstrating chromium picolinate's potential benefits in reducing cardiovascular risk factors in subjects exhibiting insulin resistance.

"These results add to a growing body of evidence, but more importantly provide a cellular mechanism to explain the effects of chromium picolinate on carbohydrate metabolism," added Cefalu.

Ongoing research at PBRC is now focusing on the effect of chromium picolinate on cellular proteins associated with insulin function.

The Pennington Biomedical Research Center is a campus of the Louisiana State University System and conducts both clinical and basic research. This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2006, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com.

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BigCasino

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Yes good post!

I will say though that I tried taking chromium picolinate for a little over a month and I did not notice a damn thing. It was Bodybuilding.com brand, and I forget the dosage.
 
wastedwhiteboy2

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seems like its only beneficial to obese people.
 
not_big_enuf

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If only I wasn an obese, insulin-resistant rat.
 
yeahright

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Yes, the article seems to indicate that it can certainly help correct a metabolic deficiency (insulin resistence) but may be of zero use to healthy individuals.
 
Rivet

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Yes, the article seems to indicate that it can certainly help correct a metabolic deficiency (insulin resistence) but may be of zero use to healthy individuals.

I had alot chromium left over from a shopping spree (local supp sale). I used it for about 2 months until the bottle was empty and noticed nothing from it.
 
yeahright

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I had alot chromium left over from a shopping spree (local supp sale). I used it for about 2 months until the bottle was empty and noticed nothing from it.
Yeah, I don't take chromium except what is in my multivitamin but I imagine that if it were enhancing insulin sensitivity, that this isn't an effect I would be able to subjectively feel (I can't feel the antioxidants working either but studies show that they are). I don't think that there is enough evidence to indicate that healthy individuals should supplement with it but the anecdotal reports of no effect probably need to be discounted as well.
 
SprtNvolcoM

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I've been on chromium P for over 100 days now just becaue I had it and I decided to take 1 a day; its 400mg or 400iu's a pill. Sorry I cant remember.

I hvent noticed anything different. Then again ... I'm neither obese or skinny.

:head:
 
wideguy

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So you're saying R-ala is the strongest. Right?
 
Fastflight

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What is interesting about this is, normally there is no way to tell if some of these supps work.

I have type II diabetes and test 5X ed. There is a measureable difference in blood sugar levels and spikes when I take Chromium Picolinate. Combined with Vanadyl Sulfate the levels are reduced even more.

R-ALA will make 20 points difference, Knowing when and what they really do can really make a difference in energy and growth.
Very interesting, I,too, think Ala works.

So when do you take it to make it work best? -I´ve read that it should be taken on empty stomach.

I also remember, that for Chromium one should take around 2000mg/day to see results, although there is some toxicity to some of the Chromium-esters, I think it was piccolinate.
 
Ubiquitous

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R-ALA has a good reputation as a repartitioning agent.. as does some slightly less effective things as Vanadyl Sulfate, Cinnamon, Apple Cider Vinegar... I use them all.. Chromium is considered old school, but people obviously still use it for a reason.

Glucophage is reportedly the strongest in this regard.
 

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