Chromium was deemed to be the magic ingredient and was thereafter called a “glucose tolerance factor,” or GTF for short. The link between chromium and diabetes originated in the 1950s, when researchers were able to prevent diabetes in rats by feeding them brewer’s yeast. According to the Institute of Medicine, a component of the National Academy of Sciences, adequate daily intakes of chromium for adult women and men range from 24–35 micrograms (mcg) per day, with men needing more than women. However, the amount of chromium in food can vary depending on agricultural and manufacturing processes. Food sources of chromium include meat, chicken, eggs, liver, some fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and brewer’s yeast. Chromium is found primarily in two different forms: trivalent chromium, the kind found in food, and hexavalent chromium, a toxic form found in some chemical substances. It’s needed to help process carbohydrate, protein, and fat, and it enhances the action of insulin. It was always a gray area for me, based on the ever-changing research.Ĭhromium is called a trace mineral and is essential to the human body. Who would have thought that a trace mineral could cause so much confusion? As a dietitian, I remember many of my patients asking me if they should take chromium supplements.
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