Effect of chromium chloride supplementation on glucose tolerance and serum lipids including high-density lipoprotein of adult men.

Chromium deficiency may cause insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperlipidemia, recovered by chromium supplementation. The effect of chromium supplementation on serum lipids and glucose tolerance was tested in a double-blind 12-wk study of 23 healthy adult men aged 31 to 60 yr. Either 200 micrograms trivalent chromium in 5 ml water (Cr) or 5 ml plain water (W) was ingested daily 5 days each week. Half the subjects volunteered for glucose tolerance tests with insulin levels. At 12 wk high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in the Cr group from 35 to 39 mg/dl (p less than 0.05) but did not change in the water group (34 mg/dl). The largest increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreases in insulin and glucose were found in those subjects having normal glucose levels together with elevated insulin levels at base-line. The data are thus consistent with the hypothesis that Cr supplementation raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and improves insulin sensitivity in those with evidence of insulin resistance but normal glucose tolerance.