Chromium picolinate

Chromium(III) picolinate

Names

IUPAC name

Tris(picolinate)chromium(III)

Identifiers

CAS Number

14639-25-9^Y

3D model (JSmol)

Interactive image

ChEBI

CHEBI:50369^Y

ChemSpider

133913^Y

ECHA InfoCard

100.131.423

PubChem CID

151932

InChI

InChI=1S/3C6H5NO2.Cr/c3*8-6(9)5-3-1-2-4-7-5;/h3*1-4H,(H,8,9);/q;;;+3/p-3^Y

Key: CBDQOLKNTOMMTL-UHFFFAOYSA-K^Y
InChI=1/3C6H5NO2.Cr/c3*8-6(9)5-3-1-2-4-7-5;/h3*1-4H,(H,8,9);/q;;;+3/p-3

Key: CBDQOLKNTOMMTL-DFZHHIFOAM

SMILES

c1ccnc(c1)C(=O)[O-].c1ccnc(c1)C(=O)[O-].c1ccnc(c1)C(=O)[O-].[Cr+3]

Properties

Chemical formula

Cr(C₆H₄NO₂)₃

Molar mass

418.33 g/mol

Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

(what is ^YN ?)

Infobox references

Chromium(III) picolinate (CrPic₃) is a chemical compound sold as a nutritional supplement to treat type 2 diabetes and promote weight loss. This bright-red coordination compound is derived from chromium(III) and picolinic acid. Small quantities of chromium are needed for glucose utilization by insulin in normal health, but deficiency is extremely rare and has only been observed in hospital patients on long-term defined diets. Chromium has been identified to regulate insulin by increasing the sensitivity of the insulin receptor. As such, chromium(III) picolinate has been used as a treatment for type 2 diabetes, although its effectiveness remains controversial due to conflicting and/or poorly carried out clinical studies. Chromium(III) picolinate has been described as a "poor [...] nutritional supplement".

A study in 1989 suggested that chromium(III) picolinate may assist in weight loss and increase muscle mass which led to an increase in the usage of chromium(III) picolinate supplements, making it the second most widely used supplement behind Ca²⁺ supplements. A 2013 Cochrane review was unable to find "reliable evidence to inform firm decisions" to support such claims. Research has generally shown that it improves insulin sensitivity by either prolonging its activity or up-regulating the production of mRNA to produce more insulin receptors.

Amongst the transition metals, Cr³⁺ is the most controversial in terms of nutritional value and toxicity. This controversy centers on whether Cr³⁺ provides any nutritional benefits given that Cr³⁺ nutritional supplements for humans form the basis of a multimillion-dollar industry with sales second behind Ca-containing products. Furthermore, this controversy is amplified by the fact that no Cr-containing biomolecules have had their structure characterized, nor has the mode of action been determined. The first experiment that led to the discovery of Cr³⁺ playing a role in glucose metabolism proposed that the biologically active form of the metal existed in a protein called glucose tolerance factor, however, new evidence suggests that it is simply an artifact obtained from isolation procedures. The only accepted indicator of chromium deficiency is the reversal of symptoms that occurs when chromium(III) supplementation is administered to hospital patients that were on total parenteral nutrition (which lacked chromium(III)) for an extensive period of time.

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Wikipedia