chromium and prostate health
Chromium is a trace mineral found in small amounts throughout the body. The main function of chromium deals with the metabolism of glucose. This is important for prostate health because research suggests that an increased risk of prostate disorders is associated with high blood sugar levels. An increased risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with men who suffer from persistently high blood sugar levels and men who are overweight. Dr. J. Kellogg Parsons of the University of California, San Diego and his research team conducted research experiments with more than 400 adult men between the ages of 27 and 84. Their findings indicate that men with diabetes had twice the risk of developing prostate cancer. enlarged prostate compared with men without diabetes. This study was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, July 2006. They also found that men who suffered from high blood sugar were three times more likely to have an enlarged prostate, and their risk of BPH was 3.5 times higher. According to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, obese men have an 80% increased risk of high-grade, aggressive prostate cancer. Chromium is necessary in the metabolism of glucose and lipids. Dr. Anderson, a nutrition research scientist with the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, has studied the role of chromium in glucose and lipid metabolism for decades. His research reveals that insulin activity is ineffective without the proper chromium. The presence of chromium was found to stabilize blood sugar levels.Dr. Robert Atkins, often called the founding father of the low carb revolution, had this to say about chromium: “the most important nutrient involved in sugar metabolism.” Dr. Atkins further stated that “more than 90% of all Americans are deficient.” He believes that eating refined sugar depletes the body’s stored amounts of chromium. It works like this: as more sugar is consumed, more chromium is used to metabolize the sugar. This results in an ever-increasing need for chrome. Renowned scientists and physicians agree that chromium supplementation can help regulate diabetes and obesity by normalizing blood sugar levels. Chromium may have other health benefits.
- Chromium can help in the metabolism of cholesterol.
- Chromium plays a part in the metabolism of nucleic acid, the building blocks of DNA.
- Chromium supplementation may help improve brain activity in older people. Some scientists believe that by improving insulin activity in the brain, the hypothalamus, an important control center of the brain, can remain in a “more functionally youthful state.”
- In 2003, researchers proposed that chromium might have antidepressant properties. Scientists at the University of Oxford in England conducted laboratory tests on animals that showed that supplemental chromium can improve mood by enhancing the activity of neurochemicals.
natural food sources
Vegetables grown in chromium-rich soil will have good amounts of chromium. The same goes for seafood and some meats. The source animal or shellfish will contain chromium only if you have eaten foods that contain chromium. Whole grains, mushrooms, especially brewer’s yeast, are good sources of chromium. Chromium supplementation is a good option. Men can reduce the risk of prostate disease by maintaining a healthy weight, eating a diet low in fat and high in a variety of vegetables. Supplements like Super Beta Prostate can help you nutritionally to support prostate health.