Chromium facts

• Chromium occurs in any oxidation state from -2 to +6
• Processing flour destroys almost half of its chromium
• Chelated chromium is the best supplemental form
• Excessive sugar intake lowers chromium levels

Chromium is a metallic mineral which occurs in several oxidative states – trivalent chromium (Cr +3) is the biologically active form which occurs naturally in air, water, soil and natural foods, while hexavalent chromium (Cr+6) is potentially toxic to the human body as it is man-made and does not occur naturally in the environment.

The processing of flour, by removing the bran and husk, also removes about 30-50% of the chromium. Wholegrain flour, which has no part removed has the chromium still intact and is a preferable choice for good health.

While chromium supplements are available in a variety of forms, chelated chromium is by far the best form to take as it is better absorbed than the other forms (ie chromium picolinate or GTF – glucose tolerance factor). Up to 25% of chelated chromium is absorbed compared to around 5% of other forms of chromium supplements.

Many studies have shown that excessive sugar intake (eating foods high in low GI or simple carbohydrates) have an adverse effect on blood chromium levels, by increasing the loss of chromium.