Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of chromium nicotinic acid supplementation on selected cardiovascular disease risk factors

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The effects of daily supplemental chromium (200 μg) complexed with 1.8 mg nicotinic acid on plasma glucose and lipids, including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, were assessed in 14 healthy adults and 5 adults with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) using a double-blind crossover study with 8-wk experimental periods. Eight of the 14 healthy subjects and all 5 subjects with NIDDM also underwent an oral glucose tolerance test with assessment of 90 min postprandial plasma glucose and insulin concentrations. No statistically significant effects of chromium nicotinic acid supplementation were found on plasma insulin, glucose, or lipid concentrations, although chromium nicotinic acid supplementation slightly lowered fasting plasma total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose concentrations, and 90-min postprandial glucose concentrations in individuals with NIDDM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. L. F. Berrio, L. L. Southern, J. M. Fernandez, D. L. Thompson, and T. L. Ward, Effect of dietary chromium tripicolinate on insulin binding in isolated pig fat cells and erythrocyte ghosts,FASEB J. 9, A449 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  2. J. F. Potter, P. Levin, R. A. Anderson, J. M. Freiberg, R. Andres, and D. Elahi, Glucose metabolism in glucose-intolerant older people during chromium supplementation,Metabolism 34, 199–204 (1985).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. W. Mertz, Chromium in human nutrition: A review,J Nutr. 123, 626–633 (1993).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. M. Urberg and M. R. Zemel, Evidence for synergism between chromium and nicotinic acid in the control of glucose tolerance in elderly humans,Metabolism 36, 896–899 (1987).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. A. S. Abraham, B. A. Brooks, and U. Eylath, The effects of chromium supplementation on serum glucose and lipids in patients with and without non-insulin dependent diabetes,Metabolism 41, 768–771 (1992).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. R. Riales and M. J. Albrink, Effect of chromium chloride supplementation on glucose tolerance and serum lipids including high density lipoprotein of adult men,Am J Clin Nutr. 34, 2670–2678 (1981).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. R. T. Mossop, Effects of chromium (III) on fasting glucose, cholesterol and cholesterol HDL levels in diabetics,Cent. Afr. J. Med. 29, 80–82 (1983).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. M. M. Wang, E. A. Fox, B. J. Stoecker, C. E. Menendez, and S. B. Chan, Serum cholesterol of adults supplemented with brewer's yeast or chromium chloride,Nutr. Res. 9, 989–998 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. R. A. Anderson, M. M. Polansky, N. A. Bryden, and J. J. Canary, Supplemental-chromium effects on glucose, insulin, glucagon, and urinary chromium losses in subjects consuming controlled low-chromium diets,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 54, 909–916 (1991).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. R. A. Anderson, M. M. Polansky, N. A. Bryden, E. E. Roginski, W. Mertz, and W. Glinsmann, Chromium supplementation of human subjects: Effects on glucose, insulin and lipid variables,Metabolism Clin. Exp. 32, 894–899 (1983).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. E. G. Offenbacher, C. J. Rinko, and F. X. Pi-Sunyer, The effects of inorganic chromium and brewer's yeast on glucose tolerance, plasma lipids, and plasma chromium in elderly subjects,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 42, 454–461 (1985).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. M. I. J. Uusitupa, J. T. Kumpulainen, E. Voutilainen, K. Hersio, H. Sarlund, K. P. Pyorala, P. E. Koivistoinen, and J. T. Lehto, Effect of inorganic chromium supplementation on glucose tolerance, insulin response, and serum lipids in non-insulin dependent diabetics,Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 38, 404–410 (1983).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. W. Mertz, E. W. Toepfer, E. E. Roginski, and M. M. Polansky, Present knowledge of the role of chromium,Fed. Proc. 33, 2275–2280 (1974).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. J. C. Yang, G. Z. Dai, J. Y. Guo, B. Z. Yan, S. Q. Chen, S. Y. Cai, and Z. R. Cao, The synthesis, animal experiments, and preliminary clinical trial of chromium (III)-nicotinic acid-amino acids mixed ligand complexes,Huaxi Yike Daxue Xuebao 19, 167–169 (1988).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. R. A. Anderson, Recent advances in the clinical and biochemical effects of chromium deficiency inEssential and Toxic Trace Elements in Human Health and Disease: An Update, Wiley-Liss, New York, pp. 221–234 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  16. W. T. Friedewald, R. I. Levy, and D. S. Fredrickson, Estimation of the concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in plasma, without use of the preparative ultracentrifuge,Clin. Chem. 18, 499–502 (1972).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. R. A. Anderson and A. S. Kozlovsky, Chromium intake, absorption and excretion of subjects consuming self-selected diets.Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 41, 1177–1183 (1985).

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. R. A. Anderson, Chromium, glucose tolerance, and diabetes.Biol. Trace Element Res. 32, 19–24 (1992).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. H. J. Dowling, E. G. Offenbacher, and F. X. Pi-Sunyer, Effects of amino acids on the absorption of trivalent chromium and its retention by regions of the rat small intestine.Nutr. Res. 10, 1261–1271 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. W. Mertz, Effects and metabolism of glucose tolerance factor.Nutr. Rev. 33, 129–135 (1975).

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. R. A. Anderson, N. A. Bryden, and M. M. Polansky, Form of chromium effects tissue chromium concentrations,FASEB J. 7, A204 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  22. M. F. McCarty, The case for supplemental chromium and a survey of clinical studies with chromium picolinate,J. Appl. Nutr. 43, 58–66 (1991).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thomas, V.L.K., Gropper, S.S. Effect of chromium nicotinic acid supplementation on selected cardiovascular disease risk factors. Biol Trace Elem Res 55, 297–305 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02785287

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02785287

Index Entries

Navigation