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Effect of Chromium-Enriched Yeast on Fasting Plasma Glucose, Glycated Haemoglobin and Serum Lipid Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Insulin

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Abstract

Chromium is required for a normal insulin function, and low levels have been linked with insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to follow the effect of chromium supplementation on fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum lipids in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) on insulin therapy. Eleven randomly selected patients with DM2 on insulin therapy were supplemented with a daily dose of 100 μg chromium yeast for the first supplementation period of 2 weeks. In the second supplementation period, the chromium dose was doubled and continued for the next 6 weeks. The third phase was a 6-week washout period. After each period, the levels of FPG and HbA1c were compared with the corresponding values at the end of the previous period. Serum triglycerides, total HDL and LDL cholesterol values after supplementation were compared with the baseline values. FPG decreased significantly after the first period of chromium supplementation (p < 0.001), and a tendency to a further reduction was observed after the second supplementation period. Similarly, HbA1c decreased significantly in both periods (p < 0.02 and p < 0.002, respectively). Eight weeks after withdrawal of chromium supplementation, both FPG and HbA1c levels returned to their pre-intervention values. The serum lipid concentrations were not significantly influenced by chromium supplementation. Chromium supplementation could be beneficial in patients with DM2 treated with insulin, most likely due to lowered insulin resistance leading to improved glucose tolerance. This finding needs to be confirmed in a larger study.

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Notes

  1. Note that the Box plots in Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate only the summary statistics of individual samples (the median, the two ends of the interquartile range, and two extreme values), and they do not contain the complete information needed to reveal the statistical significance of the performed tests.

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Conflict of Interest

Pharma Nord ApS, Vejle, Denmark provided the research preparations free of charge. Apart from this, the authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Hematology, Charles University in Prague, Medical Faculty and Faculty Hospital in Pilsen, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jaroslav Racek

  2. Pharma Nord Research, Vejle, Denmark

    C. D. Sindberg & S. Moesgaard

  3. Pharma Nord Praha s. r. o., Prague, Czech Republic

    Josef Mainz

  4. Diafa, s. r. o., Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Jaroslav Fabry

  5. Department of Cybernetics, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic

    Luděk Müller

  6. Department of Clinical Biochemistry, St. Elisabeth Cancer Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic

    Katarína Rácová

Authors
  1. Jaroslav Racek
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  2. C. D. Sindberg
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  3. S. Moesgaard
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  4. Josef Mainz
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  5. Jaroslav Fabry
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  6. Luděk Müller
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  7. Katarína Rácová
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C. D. Sindberg.

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Racek, J., Sindberg, C.D., Moesgaard, S. et al. Effect of Chromium-Enriched Yeast on Fasting Plasma Glucose, Glycated Haemoglobin and Serum Lipid Levels in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Insulin. Biol Trace Elem Res 155, 1–4 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9758-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9758-9

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