Blood Sugar Under Control

Under Control

Patients who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic, or have already developed type 2 diabetes, know how vitally important it is to control blood sugar levels. They also know that most doctors have their prescription pads at the ready to prescribe any of a number of drugs for their condition.

If you’re one of these patients, I’ve got some evidence you can show your doctor that might help convince him that a unique supplement could be the best first step in your treatment.

From one small acorn

Chromium is a trace mineral that’s a component of insulin and is required for proper metabolism of glucose, carbohydrates and fats. Picolinic acid (which is naturally produced in the body) has been shown to improve absorption of trace metal ions. Put them together – as a supplement company called Nutrition 21 has done – and you have a highly absorbable chromium supplement.

In 2005, the FDA gave Nutrition 21 permission to use this health claim: “One small study suggests that chromium picolinate may reduce the risk of insulin resistance, and therefore possibly may reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.”

It’s odd that the FDA would allow such a claim based on only “one small study.” But maybe it’s time to change that opening phrase to “several studies.”

In the e-Alert “Get Smart” (8/23/06), I told you about a six-month study in which a group of 29 type 2 diabetics took either chromium picolinate (CP) along with sulfonylurea (a drug that prompts the pancreas to increase insulin production), or a placebo and sulfonylurea. Results showed that CP subjects “had significant improvements in insulin sensitivity” compared to subjects in the placebo group.

The CP supplement also helped reduce the accumulation of abdominal fat.

Put to the test

That 2006 study was almost certainly included in a recent analysis of 15 clinical studies of CP, reported in a recent issue of Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. (Grain of salt alert: One of the two researchers who conducted this analysis is a scientific affairs specialist for Nutrition 21.)

The 15 studies involved nearly 1,700 subjects. And among these subjects, more than 1,500 received CP in dose levels that ranged from 200 to 1,000 mcg per day.

The findings:

• Thirteen of the 15 studies reported significant improvement in at least one aspect of blood sugar control

• In four studies that measured fasting insulin levels, there was a 30 percent improvement among CP groups, and insulin levels after meals improved by 15 percent

• In ten studies that measured fasting glucose levels, there was a 15 percent improvement among CP groups in six of the studies, and glucose levels after meals improved by nearly 19 percent

• In several studies, high cholesterol levels also improved among CP groups

Dietary sources of chromium include broccoli, turkey meat, liver (and other organ meats), seafood, whole grains, oysters, eggs and cheese. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for chromium is 25 mcg per day for women and 35 mcg per day for men. For most people, however, a daily supplement of 600 mcg is well tolerated.

Talk to your doctor or a healthcare professional before using chromium picolinate or beginning any new supplement regimen, especially if you’re already taking a drug to address diabetes issues.

You can find more information about chromium picolinate on the Nutrition 21 web site: nutrition21.com.