Alternative treatments for diabetes: chromium

Although it sounds like something you'd use to polish your wheel covers, chromium is actually a trace mineral that helps the body use glucose. For example, chromium appears to make it easier for insulin to bind with cells so that glucose can enter tissues and not build up in the blood. Read on to learn the possible link between chromium and diabetes.

Despite its importance, most Canadians probably don't get enough each day because it is found in only trace amounts in food. It's estimated that we should get 50 to 200 micrograms, or 0.00077 to 0.003 grains — one grain equals 0.065 grams.If you get more will it help with blood sugar control?

Even though chromium is one of the better known micronutrients suggested for diabetes, research with people who have high blood sugar has produced mixed results. In one of the largest studies, 180 people were assigned to groups that got either chromium — two different doses were tried — or a dummy pill.

After four months, those who got the chromium significantly reduced their A1C numbers, which indicates long-term blood sugar control, and those who got the highest dose (1,000 micrograms) lowered their cholesterol as well. Several other studies have shown similar results, but in some others, chromium either had no effect on blood sugar or the findings were ambiguous.

You may have heard that chromium helps the body lose fat without losing muscle, and some research points in that direction. In one study of 122 moderately overweight people, those who took 400 micrograms of chromium a day saw an average weight loss of 2.8 kilograms (6.2 pounds) over the course of three months. Few other studies have backed these findings, so you'll probably be disappointed if you take chromium for weight loss.

You want to keep the chromium you gain from food; sugar and refined white flour trigger chromium loss. By avoiding those foods, you're ahead of the game from the start. If you take a supplement, stick to the recommended daily amount of 200 micrograms or less.

Chromium is a heavy metal, and large doses may build up in the body, potentially leading to kidney damage. Chromium comes in different forms, but most studies use chromium picolinate, which the body absorbs better than chromium chloride.