Nutrients and trace elements as they affect blood pressure in the elderly

Long-term safety evaluation of a novel oxygen-coordinated niacin-bound chromium (III) complex

Chromium (III) is an essential micronutrient required for normal protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism, as well as helps insulin metabolize fat, turn protein into muscle and convert sugar into energy. A broad spectrum of research investigations including in vitro, in vivo and clinical studies demonstrated the beneficial effects of novel oxygen- coordinated niacin-bound chromium (III) complex (NBC) in promoting glucose-insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, cardioprotective ability and lean body mass. This study examined the long-term safety of NBC by orally administering either 0 or 25 ppm or the human equivalency dose of 1000 microg elemental chromium (III) as NBC per day for 52 consecutive weeks to male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals of each group and each gender were sacrificed on 26, 39, or 52 weeks of treatment. Body weight, physical and ocular health, feed and water intake, selected organ weights as such and as a percentage of liver and brain weight, hepatic lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation, hematology and clinical chemistry, and histopathological evaluations were conducted. At 26, 39, or 52 weeks of treatment, body weight gain was significantly reduced by 7.7%, 8.1% and 14.9% in male rats, and 5.5%, 11.4% and 9.6% in female rats, respectively, in the NBC treatment groups. No significant changes were observed in hepatic lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation, hematology and clinical chemistry, and histopathological evaluation between control and NBC groups at these time points. These findings, thus far, are in agreement with the subchronic studies in terms of the safety of NBC.

Safety and toxicological evaluation of a novel niacin-bound chromium (III) complex

Chromium is an essential trace element required for normal protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism. It also helps in energy production and increasing lean body mass. Niacin-bound chromium (NBC) is a unique form of bioavailable chromium that promotes healthy lipid profile. This study was focused on determining the broad spectrum safety of NBC. Acute oral, acute dermal, primary dermal irritation and primary eye irritation toxicities of NBC were evaluated. Ames bacterial reverse mutation assay, mouse lymphoma test and a dose-dependent 90-day subchronic toxicity were also conducted. In safety studies, the acute oral LD(50) of NBC was found to be greater then 5000 mg/kg in both male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. No changes in body weight or adverse effects were observed following necropsy. The acute dermal LD(50) of NBC was found to be >2000 mg/kg. The primary skin irritation test was conducted with NBC on New Zealand Albino rabbits. NBC was classified as slightly irritating. The primary eye irritation test was conducted with NBC on rabbits. NBC was classified as practically non-irritating to the eye. NBC did not induce mutagenic effects in the bacterial reverse mutation test in five Salmonella typhimurium strains (TA1535, TA98, TA100, TA97a and TA102), either with or without metabolic activation. Similarly, NBC did not induce mutagenic effects in the mammalian cell gene mutation test in L5178Y mouse lymphoma cells TK (+/-), either with or without metabolic activation. A dose-dependent 90-day subchronic toxicity study demonstrated no significant changes in selected organ weights individually and as percentages of body and brain weights. NBC supplementation did not cause changes in hepatic lipid peroxidation or DNA fragmentation after 30, 60 or 90 days of treatment. Hematology, clinical chemistry and histopathological evaluations did not show any adverse effects in all organs tested. Taken together, the above results indicate a broad spectrum of safety for NBC.

Protective effects of a novel niacin-bound chromium complex and a grape seed proanthocyanidin extract on advancing age and various aspects of syndrome X

Aging is the progressive accumulation of changes with time that are responsible for the ever-increasing likelihood of disease and death. The precise cascade of pathological events mainly responsible for aging are still not clearly understood, but enhanced production of free radicals and its deleterious effects on proteins, nucleic acids, and fats, as well as enhanced glycosylation of proteins and DNA are prevalent during aging. Insulin resistance may be a common etiology, at least in part, behind the pathobiological alterations of advancing age. Prevalent age-related disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and cancer have been associated with impaired glucose/insulin metabolism and its consequences. This leads to future strategies to combat the aging process and chronic disorders such as the components of syndrome X associated with aging. Increasing the intake of antioxidants and/or substances recognized to enhance insulin sensitivity is a natural means of combatting the glucose/insulin perturbations and free radical damage. Accordingly, ingestion of niacin-bound chromium and natural antioxidants such as grape seed proanthocyanidin extract has been demonstrated to improve insulin sensitivity and/or ameliorate free radical formation and reduce the signs/symptoms of chronic age-related disorders including syndrome X. These natural strategies possess a highly favorable risk/benefit ratio.