DIET & DEFICIENCY

Food sources

Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Chromium

LPI

Widely distributed but in low concentrations throughout the food supply.

Whole grains and cereals contain more than fruits and vegetables.

• Liver: 1 µg/100 g.
• Wheat flour: <2 µg/100 g
• Bran: 5 µg/100 g
• Cream crackers: 10 µg/100 g why?
• Molasses: 27 µg/100 g
• Castor sugar: 2 µg/100 g

Acidic foods can take up Cr from stainless steel.

Recommended intakes

DRI 1997:

• Men and women (19+) – 35 µg/day

Nordic and Norwegian recommendations:

• no recommendations have been made.

Effects of deficiency

• Decreased glucose tolerance
• Increased insulin levels
• Increased serum cholesterol and triglycerides
• Fasting hyperglycemia, glycosurea
• Neuropathy

Toxicity

• Cr (III) has low toxicity
• Cr (IV) – irritant, oxidising agent
• Cr (VI) – reduced to Cr (III) in stomach/intestine. However, if inhaled, Cr (VI) is carcinogenic (lung cancer)

Epidemiologial studies

Subjects with high intake of unrefined products (or any foods containing high Cr): reduced incidence of diabetes.

Some studies have shown that patients with type II diabetes improve with Cr supplementation.

BioChrome