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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169773

Title: CHROMIUM, INSULIN SENSITIVITY, AND THE AGING

Author
item Anderson, Richard

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/15/2004
Publication Date: 12/2/2004
Citation: Anderson, R.A. 2004. Chromium, insulin sensitivity, and the aging. [abstract]. Anti-Aging Medicine. 12:12.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: It is well documented that aging is associated with a progressive impairment of insulin secretion and sensitivity. What effects nutrition has on these processes remains to be established but factors that improve insulin sensitivity may also alter declines in insulin function associated with aging. One nutrient that has been shown to have an effect on insulin sensitivity is chromium. Aging has negative effects on glucose, insulin, blood lipids, insulin sensitivity, body weight, body fat and lean body mass and these have all been shown to be improved by chromium. In a study involving over 40,000 people, chromium concentrations of the hair, sweat and urine were shown to decline with age. In people with type 2 diabetes, there is a dose response to the improvements in glucose, insulin and insulin sensitivity with larger effects when consuming 1000 µg per day of chromium as chromium picolinate compared with 200 µg. Food patterns common in aging including increased consumption of high sugar foods also leads to higher chromium losses and decreased chromium status. The addition of chromium to the diet of rats led to an increase in lifespan by 33% and improved body composition, blood glucose and insulin sensitivity. The effects of chromium are similar to those observed when animals are put on calorie restricted diets, which also leads to longer life span that is accompanied by decreased levels of glucose and insulin and increased insulin sensitivity. The increases in obesity and chronic diseases may not be normal consequences of aging but rather suboptimal dietary patterns that are manifest with age. Improved chromium nutrition is one of the factors that leads to reversal of suboptimal health that manifests with age.