ChromeMate Clinical Evidence

10th International Congress of Toxicology

(Finnish Society of Toxicology and the International Union of Toxicology)
Bagchi M, et al. Efficacy and toxicological assessment of a novel, niacin-bound chromium in ameliorating metabolic disorders. July 2004. Presented at the 10th International Congress of Toxicology-Finland.

Topic:
Can chromium lower blood sugar levels?

Background:
High blood sugar levels over time are a risk factor for developing diabetes. Chromium is a mineral known to play a role in helping insulin regulate blood sugar levels.

Study Type:
Human clinical intervention trial

Study Design:
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled. Subjects took chromium or placebo. Researchers then measured their levels of HbA1c, a marker for blood sugar levels over a period of months.

Subjects:
20 subjects

Dosage:
300 mcg/day for 3 months

Results:
Subjects taking chromium had significantly lower fasting blood sugar levels, as determined by HbA1c, while the placebo group saw no change.

Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise

Grant K, et al. Chromium and exercise training: effect on obese women. 1997 Aug;29(8):992-8.

Topic:
Can supplementation with chromium, with or without exercise, help obese women lose weight? What kind of chromium is the most effective?

Background:
Supplementation with chromium is thought to influence several risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), such as body weight and blood sugar control.

Study Type:
Human clinical observation trial

Study Design:
Subjects took chromium in one of two forms — chromium picolinate or chromium nicotinate. Their weight was tracked and their blood sugar was measured after an oral dose of glucose.

Subjects:
Young obese women

Dosage:
400 mcg/day

Results:
While supplementation with chromium picolinate actually caused significant weight gain, supplementation with chromium nicotinate, combined with exercise, caused significant weight loss and lowered insulin spikes after a dose of glucose, indicating better blood sugar control.

Conclusion:
Our results suggest that exercise training combined with chromium nicotinate supplementation may be more beneficial than exercise training alone for modification of certain CAD and NIDDM risk factors.

ChromeMate Mechanism of Action

Chromium is an essential mineral implicated in normal glucose and lipid homeostasis. There are several forms, but chromium polynicotinate is best absorbed due to the specific way it binds with niacin molecules, which may allow chromium to act on insulin receptors. Animal studies have shown that ChromeMate polynicotinate is 600% more bioavailable than chromium chloride and 300% more bioavailable than chromium picolinate. By helping to improve cellular uptake of glucose, ChromeMate reduces the amount of insulin needed to process sugar or carbohydrates from a meal. Reduced insulin levels help to prevent blood sugar from dropping too low, which would cause sugar cravings.

Safety Studies

Numerous animal and human studies, lasting anywhere from 90 days to 1 year, have been conducted on the safety of chromium. Chromium was found to be non-genotoxic (not damaging to DNA) and non-cytotoxic (not damaging to cells). A panel of experts from the Burdock Group, an independent toxicology group, concluded that chromium is safe for human consumption and generally recognized as safe (GRAS).