The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

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  • Recent Comments

    Positive results with chromium in type 2 diabetes

    Chromium contributes to the action of insulin to control blood sugar levels. In addition, chromium blood levels tend to be low in people with diabetes. Now, conventional wisdom of the role of supplemental chromium is being re-evaluated.

    A detailed review published last month in Alternative Medicine Alert concluded that the data on the action of chromium in people with diabetes were inconclusive. For the same reason, no recommendation has come from the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse.

    Now, a study published in the August issue of Diabetes Care will necessitate a re-evaluation of these conclusions. After a stabilization period, 37 people with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to treatment with a sulfonylurea (glipizide) plus placebo or glipizide plus chromium picolinate for 6 months.

    The addition of chromium picolinate to glipizide significantly improved insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control.

    It’s a small study, but these data combined with an earlier trial that showed a positive effect of chromium picolinate on the heart rhythm (shortened QTc interval duration) in patients with type 2 diabetes necessitates another look at this micronutrient.

    7/31/06 20:54 JR

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