BioCeuticals supplements do not contain chromium VI
Published: Jan 18, 2016
Author: BioCeuticals - Editor
BioCeuticals, Australia’s leading provider of practitioner only supplements, would like to reassure its practitioner clients and their patients that our formulas do not contain trinuclear chromium propionate, a form of chromium featured in inconclusive studies reported in the media last week.
Trinuclear chromium propionate, which was studied in a paper published in the chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie, is known to be easily oxidised to Cr(VI), whereas other forms are not. This proposed anti-diabetic drug is not a form of chromium used in BioCeuticals supplements.
The study irresponsibly mentions that oxidation to genotoxic complexes is noted for Chromium (III) supplements under “biologically relevant conditions of oxidative stress” which is vague, as this would depend upon many factors including diet, disease, medications, supplementation, genetics, antioxidants (or lack of) etc.
Cr(III) is a trace mineral that has a role in normal macronutrient metabolism and the maintenance of blood glucose concentrations. The safety of intake levels of up to 250 μg/day for supplemental intake is supported by thorough evaluations from the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organisation.
In rebuttal to the study, Complementary Medicines Australia (CMA) contests the findings linking Cr(III) effects on mice cells with cancer as inconclusive and unable to make a meaningful contribution to human use.
CMA chief executive officer, Mr Carl Gibson, highlighted that the study looked at the injection of chromium III directly into mice fat cells, which does not take into account the physiological mechanisms of chromium handling by the body.
“There are many biochemical processes that take place in human nutrition, and the transport of nutrients around the body to active sites, including excretion or storage, was not included in the researchers’ methodology.”
“Chromium III’s safety had been supported by evaluations from international authorities, including the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) and World Health Organisation (WHO). Scientific opinion on the long term safety of chromium establishes that no credible data or reports have shown adverse effects in humans from its consumption, and animal data also suggest that orally administered chromium is extremely innocuous.”
“While it is important that any recommendation for supplementation of complementary medicines takes into account associated risk, any alarmist reports resulting from this study ignore the totality of scientific evidence in human clinical trials that have provided strong support for the safety of chromium supplements,” said Mr Gibson.
The authors of the study conclude that these findings cannot be extrapolated to humans. Epidemiological studies are needed.
BioCeuticals uses the following forms of chromium in its supplements:
Chromium Picolinate CrPic3
Chromium Chloride Cl3-Cr.6H2-O
Chromium Nicotinate C6-H5-N-O2.1/3Cr
If you would like more information on BioCeuticals supplements or chromium, please contact our practitioner support hotline on 1300 361 832 or email [email protected]