It’s been long known that chromium-6 is highly toxic. Other novel chromium compounds also have improved bioavailability (40) (41) . My doctor has not put me on medication for my diabetes at this time. Glucose tolerance factor chromium, more commonly called chromium GTF, is a mineral that is frequently used in bodybuilding, athletic and weight-loss supplements. The Alabama scientists believe it does this job by making the insulin receptor work better. However, the jury is still out on how effective this supplement is when used for these purposes. Learn about chromium, exposure to which can increase your risk of lung cancer and cancer of the paranasal sinuses and nasal cavity. This was due to concerns raised by the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals that chromium(III) picolinate might be genotoxic (cause cancer). Stearns continued, explaining that demonstrating a compound is mutagenic is not the same thing as showing it can cause cancer--that can only be demonstrated through animal or human studies. And the issue is created with very little effort. The bes… Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. . Chromium is marketed as a protection against Type 2 diabetes and as a so-called "sugar balance" pill to help weight loss. It turns out that chromium side effects also include cancer — it’s very carcinogenic. Benefits and Dangers of Chromium Picolinate for Weight Loss There are two schools of thought when it comes to the benefits of chromium picolinate for losing weight. It often is an ingredient in products ranging from sports drinks and gum to pills. Dec. 11, 2001 -- A popular nutritional supplement, chromium picolinate, has been touted as a fix for weight loss and muscle growth, a potion to help you lose body fat. These medications are called oral medications. American Chemical Society. New Treatments That May Change the Game, Understanding Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment. Trivalent chromium is available as supplements while the latter is carcinogenic. 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"Also, it is known that chromium can accumulate in the body; therefore, we caution against taking excessive doses of chromium picolinate for long periods of time. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. You may require medications along with healthy consuming and exercise routines to manage your type 2 diabetes. "We are currently determining the actual type of DNA damage that causes the mutations in order to better understand the relevance of our results to humans who are taking these supplements.". Supplemental doses of these agents may need to be adjusted, reduced, or omitted in patients with renal dysfunction. Until now, though, there was no solid explanation for just how chromium picolinate caused the damage. Her work further showed that, once inside those laboratory cells, it appeared to induce cleavage of chromosomal DNA. These obese individuals were given about 1000 μg/day of chromium picolinate for 12 – 16 weeks. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. gland was greater in male rats receiving 10,000 ppm chromium picolinate than in the control group. Chromium is believed to help the body process carbohydrates and fats.1 It is marketed as a weight loss aid for dieters and an ergogenic (muscle-building) aid for bodybuilders and athletes. In a 1995 paper she demonstrated that chromium picolinate can get into cells, at least in a lab dish. The USDA toxicity studies also used extremely high doses chromium "but found absolutely no damage and concluded that chromium picolinate was safe," he says. Chromium Picolinate Linked To Cancer. "Our first study showed chromosome damage, and our second study has taken it one step further by showing that this damage leads to mutations," she says in a news release. New Device Detects Which Hand Gesture You Want to Make, Key Advance for Printing Circuitry on Wearable Fabrics, Luminescent Wood Could Light Up Homes of the Future, Research Lays Groundwork for Ultra-Thin, Energy Efficient Photodetector on Glass. These and many other studies implicated chromium as a critical cofactor in insulin actio… A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Questions? WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. But one chromium manufacturer says it has conducted extensive human tests. "Mutations in certain genes may lead to cancer. But there's preliminary evidence that chromium picolinate causes severe damage to chromosomes in hamsters' ovary cells. Nutrition 21 has conducted "numerous clinical studies involving over 3,000 subjects -- in studies between three months and one year in duration -- and there have been absolutely no side effects," Komorowski tells WebMD. We are looking at the potential, at a chemical level, if it is possible that [chromium picolinate] is a mutagen, and the answer is yes." A safety paper published by the USDA comments on animal cell studies like Stearns,' citing "that one cannot extrapolate from a hamster tissue culture what could happen in humans," says Komorowski. Chromium is a trace mineral found in two main forms, trivalent chromium (III) and hexavalent chromium (VI). The element is needed only in trace amounts, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that more than 90% of American diets contain less than the minimum recommended daily allowance of chromium and dietary sources are extremely poorly absorbed by the body. Chromium picolinate is claimed to reduce body fat and build muscle. These medicines are called oral medicines. The demand for chromium pills -- often sold in the form of chromium picolinate -- is based on a simple and common premise: The mineral supposedly helps build muscle and burn fat. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. "There are studies that can be used to determine if a substance is toxic or not, and Nutrition 21 has done those studies, and chromium picolinate has been shown completely safe," he tells WebMD. The trace metals, chromium and zinc, are excreted primarily in the urine. It is used to prevent chromium deficiency, which may develop as a result of poor diet, stress and aging. Participants taking chromium supplements lost significantly more weight, 0.75 kg, than those taking placebo and also had a significant 0.40 kg/m 2 reduction in BMI and body fat percentage, 0.68%, in comparison with placebo. In addition, development of other readily absorbable sources of chromium that lack the DNA-damaging ability of chromium picolinate seems warranted.". It plays a role in how your body breaks down fats and carbohydrates. But Vincent asks, "what happens in six months, or a year, or longer? The hamster cell study, published in the journal Mutation Research, builds on studies dating to 1995, according to lead author Diane Stearns, assistant professor of biochemistry at Northern Arizona University. Given that in vitro studies suggest that other forms of chromium used as nutritional supplements, such as chromium chloride, are unlikely to be susceptible to generating this type of oxidative damage, the use of these compounds, rather than Cr(pic)(3), would appear warranted. Chromium picolinate is a nutritional supplement derived by combining chromium and picolinic acid. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. A new study builds on earlier findings that hamster cells grown in a laboratory -- when exposed to chromium picolinate -- develop mutations in the cells' DNA. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. In theory, this might mean chromium picolinate might cause cancer. When Chromium Picolinate is taken as a dietary supplement with Vitamin C supplements, it caused genetic damage to laboratory hamsters. You can take numerous diabetes medications by mouth. (1999, March 24). But Australian researchers at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales found that when chromium picolinate enters cells in the body, it is partially converted into a cancer-causing chemical. Chromium-6 is recognized as a human carcinogen when it is inhaled. Within two weeks, the patient showed distinct improvement in signs and symptoms, blood sugar levels improved and insulin requirements were greatly reduced. Chromium is poorly absorbed following oral administration, but salt forms such as chromium picolinate, niacin-bound chromium, and chromium chloride, appear to have better bioavailability. One form, chromium picolinate, is popular because it is one of the more easily absorbed forms. The picolinic form increases Cr absorption from the GI tract, although this remains quite low, around 3%. It is called an "essential trace element" because very small amounts of chromium are necessary for human health. What oral medications deal with type 2 diabetes? It is not known what actually happens in humans, or even animals when chromium picolinate is consumed. ScienceDaily. We conclude that the occurence of preputial gland adenomas in one group of male rats was possibly associated with exposure to chromium picolinate. This article examines the evidence to determine the benefits of chromium picolinate. When combined with picolinic acid, it is referred to as chromium picolinate and is sold as a nutritional supplement. Chromium Picolinate Cancer. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. All rights reserved. "Careful investigation into the effects of long-term diet supplementation with chromium picolinate are needed to evaluate its mutagenic and carcinogenic potentials. Selenium is partially excreted in the urine. Nutrition 21's studies have focused on weight loss, cholesterol, and diabetes. 3.15.9.4 Chromium Picolinate. Materials provided by American Chemical Society. Vincent found that chromium picolinate reacts with common biochemicals, like vitamin C. He says the products "can then catalyze a reaction with oxygen to generate the potent DNA-damaging hydroxyl radical." "Popular Diet Supplement May Be A Cancer Risk." ScienceDaily, 24 March 1999. We conclude that chromium picolinate did not cause cancer in female rats Chromium (in the form chromium picolinate or CrPic) has been associated with a reduction in the risk for obesity, less weight gain and may positively affect food intake. I had breast cancer five years ago with a resulting mastectomy. Possible Link Between Chromium Picolinate and Cancer The results of a study conducted by the University of Alabama in 1999 point to a link between Chromium Picolinate and cancer. Hexavalent chromium compounds have been used as corrosion inhibitors in a wide variety of products and processes. Chromium picolinate is a supplemental form of chromium said to improve nutrient metabolism and promote weight loss. It is thought that chromium picolinate can help increase muscle mass. Have any problems using the site? ", Stearns found that 58 of 1 million cells had DNA damage, Komorowski points out. 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