Chromax chromium picolinate better absorbed than other chromium forms

05/04/05 A new study shows that Chromax chromium picolinate is better absorbed by the body than other forms of chromium used as nutritional supplements and in foods. The results of the study, conducted by Ohio State University Department of Nutrition, were presented at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) annual meeting.

The study compared absorption of four different types of nutritional chromium at a dose of 200 mcg, in the form of: Chromax chromium picolinate, chromium chloride, chromium niacin amino acid chelate and chromium nicotinate. The researchers found that women who consumed chromium supplements absorbed a significantly higher amount of chromium picolinate, as compared with the other three types of chromium, based on 24-hour urine content analysis. Absorption of chromium from chromium chloride was found to be very low and not much different than baseline. Chromium chloride is commonly used in multi-vitamin and mineral formulations for consumption as supplements and is also widely utilized in vitamin and mineral pre-mixes for food fortification.

Chromium is an essential trace mineral critical to proper insulin function and necessary for carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Chromium, which is found naturally in foods in small amounts, is not well absorbed by the body. Research suggests that the typical American diet may not provide enough of this essential mineral. A large and growing body of clinical studies indicates that nutritional supplementation with chromium, especially in the form of chromium picolinate, can improve insulin function and blood sugar control in people with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.