Chromium's Essentiality Debated: New Research Casts Doubt
Chromium, once hailed as an essential trace element for humans, now faces debate among experts due to conflicting research. Early studies suggested it boosted glucose tolerance and played a role in carbohydrate metabolism, but later findings have cast doubt on its necessity.
The idea of chromium's essentiality stems from flawed rat studies in the 1950s, which induced Type 2 diabetes. However, chromium deficiency is extremely rare, with no specific disease linked to low levels. Research on chromium supplements' effect on blood glucose regulation remains inconclusive.
Unlike essential trace elements like iron, zinc, or manganese, no protein requires chromium for its function, and only one protein binds to it. Iron, crucial for oxygen transport and protein function, is absorbed 25 times more efficiently than chromium, with only 1% of ingested chromium being absorbed by the gut. Trivalent chromium, the form used in supplements, has not proven essential for human health.
Despite its presence in multivitamin pills and supplements, claimed to enhance athletic performance and regulate blood sugar, chromium's essentiality remains debated. Further research is needed to clarify its role in human health, with current evidence not supporting its classification as an essential trace element.
