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Chromium is not an essential element for mammals: effects of a “low‐chromium” diet
Author(s) -
Vincent John B,
Di Bona Kristin R,
Love Sharifa,
Rhodes Nicholas R,
McAdory DeAna,
Sinha Sarmistha Halder,
Ramage James,
Rasco Jane F
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.601.1
Subject(s) - chromium , insulin sensitivity , insulin , endocrinology , zoology , metabolism , medicine , lean body mass , carbohydrate metabolism , biology , food science , composition (language) , chemistry , insulin resistance , body weight , organic chemistry , linguistics , philosophy
Whether Cr is an essential element has been examined in carefully controlled metal free conditions using a series of purified diets containing variable Cr contents. Male Zucker lean rats were housed in specially designed metal‐free cages for four months and fed the AIN‐93G diet with no added Cr in the mineral mix component of the diet, the AIN‐93G diet, or the AIN‐93G diet supplemented with 200 microgram Cr/kg or 1000 microgram Cr/kg. The Cr content of the diet had no effect on body mass or food intake or on glucose levels in glucose tolerance or insulin tolerance tests. Rats on the supplemented AIN‐93G diets had significantly lower insulin areas under the curve after a glucose challenge (P<0.05) than rats on the low Cr diet. The studies reveal that a diet with as little Cr as reasonably possible had no effect on body composition or glucose metabolism or insulin sensitivity compared to a Cr “sufficient” diet. These results indicate that Cr can no longer be considered an essential element but may have pharmacological (supra‐nutritional) effects. The project was supported by NRI Grant 2009‐35200‐05020 from the USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture.