OVERVIEW OF CHROMIUM IN RELATION TO ATHLETICS

KRUPALI SHAH

SPORTS NUTRITIONIST, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT COUNSELOR AND HEALTH BLOGGER

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Chromium is a metal. It is called an “essential trace element” because very small amounts of chromium are necessary for human health.

Found in two forms i) Cr3+ and ii) Cr6+

Mechanism of action in body not well defined but known to enhance action of insulin.

INTRODUCTION

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Naturally Occurring Sources

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Supplemental Sources

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The biological function of chromium is not fully known yet. It is postulated that

chromium interacts with the thyroid metabolism in humans.

Binding of Cr (III) with nucleic acids has been found to stimulate the DNA-

dependant RNA synthesis .

The third inter-action of Cr (III) is with the hormone insulin and its receptors.

This suggests that Cr (III) acts with insulin on the first step in the metabolism of

sugar entry into the cell, and facilitates the interaction of insulin with its receptor

on the cell surface.

FUNCTIONS OF CHROMIUM

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Cr6+ is rapidly taken up by erythrocytes and reduced to Cr3+ by glutathione in blood.

Food rich in chromium

Blood

Cr3+ bound to transferrin/ GTF-Cr

Circulating Cr3+ taken up by tissues.

METABOLISM OF CHROMIUM

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The principal route by which trivalent chromium enters the body is the

digestive system. Chromium in foods is present both in the inorganic form and

as organic complexes. Intestinal absorption of chromium is low (0.5-2%), and

the mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated.

Absorbed chromium circulates as free Cr3+, as Cr3+ bound to transferrin or

other plasma proteins, or as complexes, such as glucose tolerance factor

(GTF)-Cr.

Circulating trivalent chromium can be taken up by tissues, and its distribution

in the body depends on the species, age, and chemical form. It is excreted

primarily in the urine by glomerular filtration or bound to a low-mol-wt

organic transporter. Chromium metabolism is still imperfectly understood.

Metabolism of Chromium in the Body.

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RESEARCH STUDIES ON CHROMIUM IN SPORTS

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Chromium supplementation and resistance training: effects on body composition, strength, and trace element status of men.(Lukaski HC et al,1996)

Study: 36 men were supplemented with either 3.3-3.5 mumol Cr picolinate/ Cr chloride or 0.1 mumol placebo daily for 8 weeks. Double blind study.

RESULTChromium Supplementation 1) serum chromium concentration and

urinary chromium excretion.

2) transferrin saturation was more with chromium picolinate supplementation

Resistance Training 1) Strength, mesomorphy, fat-free mass, and muscle mass

2) in serum ferritin, total-iron-binding capacity, transferrin saturation, the ratio of enzymatic to immunoreactive ceruloplasmin, and plasma copper.

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Effect of Chromium Supplementation and Exercise on Body Composition, Resting Metabolic Rate and selected biochemical parameters in moderately obese women following an Exercise Program (Volpe SL et al, 2001)

44 moderately obese women were given either placebo or 400 mcg of chromium

per day. All participants were placed on an exercise program. Over a period of 12

weeks, no differences were seen between the two groups in terms of body weight,

waist circumference, or percentage body fat. A small double-blind trial of older

women undergoing resistance training also failed to find evidence of benefit.

Generally negative results have been seen in other small double-blind trials as

well.

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CHROMIUM DEFICIENCY

Some evidence suggests that chromium deficiency may be relatively common. However, this has not been proven, and the matter is greatly complicated by the fact that we lack a good test to identify chromium deficiency.

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What affects chromium levels in the body?

Absorption of chromium from the intestinal tract is low, ranging from less than 0.4% to 2.5% of the amount consumed and the remainder is excreted in the faeces Enhancing the mineral's absorption are vitamin C (found in fruits and vegetables and their juices) and the B vitamin niacin (found in meats, poultry, fish, and grain products) Absorbed chromium is stored in the liver, spleen, soft tissue, and bone.The body's chromium content may be reduced under several conditions. Diets high in simple sugars (comprising more than 35% of calories) can increase chromium excretion in the urine. Infection, acute exercise, pregnancy and lactation, and stressful states (such as physical trauma) increase chromium losses and can lead to deficiency, especially if chromium intakes are already low.

Thus as a SPORTS NUTRITIONIST, for better absorption of Chromium, athlete meals should be planned in a way which will include foods that are good sources of B Vitamins and Vitamin C.

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Interactions between chromium and medicationsMedications Nature of interaction

•Antacids•Corticosteroids•H2 blockers (such as cimetidine, famotidine, nizatidine, and rantidine)•Proton-pump inhibitors (such as omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, pantoprazole, and esomeprazole)

These medications alter stomach acidity and may impair chromium absorption or enhance excretion

•Beta-blockers (such as atenolol or propanolol)•Corticosteroids•Insulin•Nicotinic acid•Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)•Prostaglandin inhibitors (such as ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen, piroxicam, and aspirin)

These medications may have their effects enhanced if taken together with chromium or they may increase chromium absorption

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THANK YOU !!

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