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New NIH-Funded Research Will Examine Utility Of Chromium Picolinate
For Diabetes and Heart Disease
Purchase
NY, 12 February 2004
Source: Nutrition 21
The
University of Pennsylvania Department of Medicine today announced
the initiation of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled
human clinical trial to study the potential benefits of chromium
picolinate supplementation in men and women diagnosed with Metabolic
Syndrome.
The
study is funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health
(NIH). The NIH National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) has
identified Metabolic Syndrome as an important target of therapy,
linked to increased risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and
affecting approximately 22% of Americans.
The
new 20-week study will assess the effects of nutritional supplementation
with 1,000 mcg of chromium per day, as chromium picolinate, compared
to matching placebo, on insulin resistance and other cardiovascular
clinical factors in adults with Metabolic Syndrome. The NCEP defines
Metabolic Syndrome as a cluster of symptoms that include abdominal
obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidemia and raised blood
pressure.
"The
results from this clinical trial will provide solid data on chromium
picolinate's potential to impact key clinical factors in this high-risk,
pre- diabetic population," according to Phillippe O. Szapary, MD,
Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and
principal investigator of the study. "Supplemental chromium may
serve as an attractive therapeutic option for patients diagnosed
with Metabolic Syndrome."
While
there are several forms of chromium available, chromium picolinate
was selected for this study, because it is the most commonly used
and chemically stable form of the mineral, according to Dr. Szapary.
Chromax® chromium picolinate will be provided by Nutrition 21
for the study.
Sixty
subjects will include adult men and women who have been diagnosed
with Metabolic Syndrome based on the NCEP guidelines.
The
trial will evaluate the benefit of chromium picolinate to help improve
insulin sensitivity, as measured by several indices obtained from
an intravenous frequently sampled glucose tolerance test. This study
will also quantify the effects of chromium picolinate supplementation
on other important clinical factors including: serum HDL cholesterol,
fasting triglycerides, weight/body composition, and blood pressure.
In
addition, the study will investigate the relationship between chromium
status and effects on insulin sensitivity as well as the prevalence
of chromium deficiency in people with Metabolic Syndrome.
Other
exploratory aims of the research include investigation of chromium
picolinate's potential as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent.
"This study will provide the first human data on the effects of
chromium picolinate supplementation on state-of-the-art readouts
of oxidant stress and inflammation, which are important intermediates
in the development of both type 2 diabetes and heart disease," according
to Dr. Szapary.
The
study is funded by the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the
National Institutes of Health (NIH grant #1R21DK067241-01), and
the National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
(NIDDK).
About
Chromium
Chromium
is an essential mineral that is needed for insulin activity in carbohydrate,
fat and protein metabolism. A number of studies have shown that
chromium in the form of chromium picolinate helps reduce insulin
resistance, improve blood sugar control, and may help reduce risk
of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
About
Nutrition 21
Nutrition
21 markets Chromax® chromium picolinate, the leading brand of
nutritional chromium, and holds 35 patents for nutrition products,
22 for chromium compounds and their uses. More information is available
at the websites shown below.
Source
Nutrition
21 (www.nutrition21.com,
www.chromax.com).
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