Where can I find chromium (Cr)
When we talk about nutritional chromium, which is essential for the human body, we refer to as trivalent chromium (Cr3 + or Cr (III)).Chromium is present everywhere around us - in the air, water and soil. It is also found in many foods. As with other minerals, its content in the diet is low and varies depending on environmental exposure to chromium and method of producing the product. Good sources of chromium are meats, shellfish, fish, eggs, whole grain cereals, nuts and some fruits and vegetables.
Table 1 dietary sources of chromium
Food product
The chromium (? G/100 g)
Clams
128
Brazil nuts
100
Oysters
57
Dates (dried)
29
Pears
27
Shrimps
26
Wholemeal
21
Tomatoes
20
Mushrooms
17
Broccoli
16
Barley (pełnoziaristy)
13
Hazelnuts
12
Pork chop
10
Maize (whole wheat)
9
Egg yolk
6
Beef
3
Herrings
2
Źródło1
Biological functions
The biological significance of chromium was discovered in the late 1950's, when it was found that yeast prevents the age-related reduction in the ability to maintain normal blood sugar levels in rats.Detected, the active ingredient is an organic complex of chromium, and this complex was dubbed "glucose tolerance factor? (Called Glucose Tolerance Factor - GTF) 2 The exact composition of the GTF and the mechanism by which GTF potentiates the effect of insulin in the body are not yet fully understood, but it may assist the penetration of insulin into cells by facilitating their transfer across cell membranes.
Control your blood sugar
In type 2 diabetes, although the pancreas produces insufficient amounts of insulin, muscle cells and other tissues become resistant to the action of insulin, which is manifested by elevated blood sugar levels. Several studies have evaluated the effect of chromium supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes A recent meta-analysis of the results of 41 studies on the basis of which concluded that chromium supplementation appears to improve control of blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes, but the authors state that can not yet provide clear conclusions and should perform further well-designed kliniczne3 study. In people without diabetes, there were no effects of chromium supplementation on glucose in the blood.
Weight loss
Chromium affects the metabolism of glucose and fat, so the researchers were interested in whether it can affect weight loss and improve body composition (ie reduce the amount of body fat and increase muscle mass). In some early studies found that supplementation with chromium led to a greater loss of body weight and reduce fat in the body compared to placebo, but other studies have not confirmed this effect. The results of a recently published randomized double-blind trial, in which a group of women applied a similar diet (with a constant, well defined power and content of essential nutrients), with or without the addition of chromium, indicate that supplementation with chromium did not show bettereffect than placebo4.
Safe level of consumption
So far, only a few studies conducted on the necessity of the supply of chromium. However, based on consumption in a typical diet, nutritional science associations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland have identified the supply of 30? 100? G as appropriate for young people and doroslych5. This is in accordance with regulations issued recently by the European Union, dietary recommendations, in which the demand for Cr3 + is set at 40? G6.Human studies show that the average diet in Europe provides from 60 to g (Germany) to 160? G (Sweden), chromium dziennie5.
It is unlikely that chromium in the diet exert any harmful effects.However, the addition of chromium to a variety of foods and the use of supplements containing chromium is becoming more popular.There are concerns that high doses of chromium may have adverse effects on the structure of DNA and that its use as a dietary supplement should be re-przemyślane7. However, the European Scientific Committee for Food states:
? On the basis of the few studies in humans can be said that has shown no adverse effects associated with chromium is added to food to a dose of 1 mg of chromium per day? 5th
Use varied diet
Since chromium is present in a variety of food products, a varied and balanced diet should provide sufficient amounts of chromium.Currently there is no evidence to support the need for chromium supplementation in the general population.
Literature
1. Food Composition and Nutrition Tables, 7th revised and completed edition, Ed. SW Souci, W Fachmann, H Kraut.Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Stuttgart, 2008.
2. Schwarz K and Mertz W. (1959) Chromium III and the glucose tolerance factor. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 85:292-295
3. Balk EM, Tatsioni A, Lichtenstein AH, Lau J, Pittas AG. (2007) Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipids: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Care 30:2154-2163
4. Lukaski HC, Siders WA, Penland JG. (2007) Chromium Picolinate supplementation in women: effects on body weight, composition and iron status. Nutrition 23:187-195
5. Scientific Committee on Food (2003) Opinion of the Scientific Committee on Food on the tolerable upper intake level of trivalent chromium. Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/food/fs/sc/scf/out197_en.pdf
6. COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2008/100/EC of 28 October 2008: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:285:0009:0012:PL:PDF
7. Levin A and PA Lay. (2008) Chemical properties and toxicity of chromium (III) nutritional supplements. Chemical Research in Toxicology 21:563-571
FOOD TODAY (Food Today) 12 / 2008
Source: http://www.eufic.org/article/pl/6/31/artid/Chrom-w-pozywieniu/
