Alterations of chromium metabolism and effect of chromium supplementation in Turner's syndrome patients.

This study was conducted to investigate chromium metabolism and the effect of chromium supplementation in patients with Turner's syndrome, a condition noted for its high incidence of diabetes. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed in 14 patients 8 to 19 yr of age. Eight of the 14 subjects were given 30 g of brewer's yeast containing 50 micrograms of chromium every day for 8 wk and glucose tolerance tests repeated. Urine samples were collected before and after each glucose load. Serum lipids were also investigated. Before supplementation, urinary chromium/creatinine ratio was high, and the urinary chromium response to oral glucose tolerance test was absent. Cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels were high in three of the patients. After supplementation, a decrease in urinary Cr/Cre ratio, and an improvement in glucose area index total were noted. A decrease in cholesterol and/or triglyceride levels occurred in the three patients with high initial levels as well as an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. These findings indicate a state of chromium deficiency and support the hypothesis that chromium deficiency may have a role in the pathogenesis of the abnormal glucose tolerance tests encountered in Turner patients.