ABSTRACT
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................339 Consequences of Chromium (III) Deficiency ...............................................................................339 Dietary Sources of Chromium (III) and Recommended Dietary Intake ......................................340 Glucose Tolerance Factor...............................................................................................................340 Bioavailability of Chromium (III) Complexes ..............................................................................341 Chromium (III) Supplementation, Metabolic Syndrome, and Weight Loss.................................341 Safety of Chromium (III) Complexes ...........................................................................................344 Conclusion......................................................................................................................................345 References ......................................................................................................................................345
A large number of biochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological studies have established selected chromium (III) complexes as novel micronutrients for ameliorating the components of the metabolic syndrome via enhancing glucose-insulin sensitivity [1-6]. Early studies showed that the biologically active form of chromium (III) in Brewer’s yeast forms a glucose tolerance factor (GTF) that prevents diabetes in experimental animals by impeding the action of insulin and modulating protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism, resulting in significantly reduced plasma glucose levels in diabetic animals [1-7].
