Carbohydrate Cravings, Depression, and Chromium Supplements

[Guest guest]

Carbohydrate Cravings, Depression, and

Chromium Supplements

 

Carbohydrate Cravings, Depression, and Chromium

Supplements JoAnn

Guest Jun 13, 2005 18:26 PDT

 

The following is an excerpt from The Willner Window

radio program,

which

can be heard every Sunday on WOR (710 AM) from 2 to 4

pm, or over the

internet at www.wor710.com.

http://www.willner.com/article.aspx?artid=42

 

Sam: Good afternoon everyone, this is .... Welcome to

The Willner

Window. For those of you who might be first-time

listeners, the focus

of

this show is nutritional supplements–vitamins, herbs,

homeopathic

remedies–and their proper usage. With me this

afternoon is . .

Don, why don’t you get us started?

 

Don: I want to start off today’s program with some

comments on

depression, and carbohydrate cravings. Some of you

might be surprised

that there is a connection.

 

Dr. Podell: Well, there is a connect. Carbohydrate

cravings, weight

gain

and unexplained fatigue are hallmark symptoms of

atypical depression, a

common, but frequently undiagnosed, depressive

disorder estimated to

affect as many as one-third of depressed patients.

According to a 1990 World Health Organization study,

depression is

ranked as the fourth most deadly disease worldwide and

is expected to

be

second only to heart disease by 2020.

 

Sam: Now, as far as conventional medicine is

concerned, there is

currently no recognized treatment for carbohydrate

cravings.

But a new study, presented at the 24th International

Neuropsycho-pharmacology Congress in Paris found that

nutritional

supplementation with chromium in the form of chromium

picolinate

significantly improved carbohydrate cravings, in

addition to other

distinct symptoms of atypical depression.

 

Dr. Podell: This was a double-blind,

placebo-controlled clinical trial

in 113 patients diagnosed with atypical depression. As

Sam said, they

found that daily supplementation with chromium

picolinate had

significant anti-depressant effects in a patient

sub-group with high

levels of carbohydrate cravings.

People with the highest levels of carbohydrate

cravings at baseline

experienced the most significant clinical response to

the chromium

picolinate.

 

Sam: This study seems to correlate with the findings

of another study,

a

pilot study published in the Journal of Biological

Psychiatry. The

study

was conducted at the Duke University Medical Center

Department of

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

According to Dr. Malcolm McLeod, a practicing

psychiatrist, who

collaborated on the Duke University study “We’ve seen

remarkable

improvements in depressed patients after supplementing

with chromium

picolinate,” He goes on to say “Chromium picolinate is

a real

breakthrough in providing safe and simple relief of

atypical depression

symptoms, many of which currently go untreated.”

 

Don: Now, let’s point out a couple of things. First,

the results of

these studies are being circulated widely by Nutrition

21, the folks

who

make chromium picolinate. That’s not necessarily a bad

thing. In fact,

we should all salute Nutrition 21 for spending the

money to support

studies that provide us with proof that these

supplements work. This is

what we need.

On the other hand, we have to keep a proper

perspective. It’s like that

book that come out touting the benefits of a

combination of glucosamine

and chondroitin in treating joint pain. That

combination did work. It

does work. But the research supporting it did not

compare the

combination to each item alone. In other words, they

didn’t show that

the combination was more effective than glucosamine

alone. Or

chondroitin alone. The supplement that they used

happened to be

supplied

to the researchers by a company that marketed a

combination. So that’s

what they used.

And, again, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s

wonderful to see

proof

that a certain supplement works. But it’s important to

avoid reading

more into such information than we should.

 

Sam: So in the case of chromium picolinate and its

relationship to

carbohydrate cravings and depression, you are saying

that we can

conclude that this particular form of chromium is

effective. It does

not

mean, on the other hand, that this is the only form of

chromium that

will have this action.

 

Don: Exactly, Sam. How you utilize this data is up to

you. If you

happen

to be a person who falls into this category, and who

has not

supplemented with chromium, I suspect you would feel

most comfortable

buying a chromium supplement using the picolinate

form. On the other

hand, I don’t recommend you run to the medicine

cabinet and toss any

non-picolinate chromium that you might have in the

trash can!

 

Sam: What about dosage? How much chromium was used in

the study?

 

Don: Well, that leads to the other comment I want to

make, Sam. The

were

using 600 mcg of chromium.

Now this is a level that should probably be used only

under a doctor’s

supervision. Most supplements have up to 200 mcg

chromium, including

most multivitamin products. The general feeling is

that up to 300 mcg

is

harmless.

Evidence of danger with higher doses is spotty at

best, but prudence

dictates caution. What you need to do is first look at

your

multivitamin. See how much is there. Probably 200 mcg.

Then, look at

your other supplements. If you are taking weight loss

products, blood

sugar control products, low-carb supplements–you may

be getting extra

chromium there, and that has to be added to what is in

your

multivitamin.

 

Sam: In Jarrow’s starch blocker product, CarboTame,

for example, there

is 50 mcg of chromium per capsule, so you could be

getting an extra 100

mcg, or more, from that product. In a two-scoop

helping of Jarrow’s

Glycemic Balance–their meal replacement, blood sugar

normalizing

powder,

there is 120 mcg of chromium.

Many appetite control, and weight loss products,

contain added

chromium.

Natrol’s Citrimax Plus with Chromate, for example,

contains 100 mcg of

chromium per capsule.

 

Don: This is not bad. It’s added to products of this

type for a good

reason. It works. All we are trying to point out is

that you should be

sure to add up all the sources of chromium in your

supplements when

determining how much your total daily level might be.

 

Dr. Podell: It does work. It is probably due to

chromium`s essential

role as an insulin co-factor. And, getting back to the

studies we told

you about, this may be the biological link between

chromium,

carbohydrate cravings and atypical depression.

Insulin has effects on metabolic function that may

impact serotonin

levels in the brain. Impaired insulin function, which

leads to poor

glycemic control, is linked to a number of health

conditions including

diabetes.

People with diabetes have an incidence of depression

two times greater

than in normal populations. Numerous clinical studies

show that

supplementation with chromium, in the form of chromium

picolinate, is

safe and helps improve insulin insensitivity and

diabetes.

 

 

 

 

AIM Barleygreen

" Wisdom of the Past, Food of the Future "

 

http://www.geocities.com/mrsjoguest/Diets.html

[Guest guest]

This is just one of the many benefits of chromium

picolinate! The one supplement I use with chromium

picolinate has reversed far too many cases of diabetes

for me to even count anymore! First Fitness products

are recognized by the American Diabetes Association as

an effective treatment and cure for diabetes. We have

been the official sponsor of the American Diabetes

Associations Tour De Cure for two consecutive years

now. And I've already told everyone here how my

supplements helped me recover from the severe

depression and anxiety disorders I got after the

cancer, after I had lost my medical insurance and had

to forfeit traditional treatments. Thanks again, Kel,

for the info! You're great!

 

Blessings,

Renee

 

--- " Kelly W. " <kellykebby wrote:

 

> Carbohydrate Cravings, Depression, and

> Chromium Supplements

>

> Carbohydrate Cravings, Depression, and Chromium

> Supplements JoAnn

> Guest Jun 13, 2005 18:26 PDT

>

> The following is an excerpt from The Willner Window

> radio program,

> which

> can be heard every Sunday on WOR (710 AM) from 2 to

> 4

> pm, or over the

> internet at www.wor710.com.

> http://www.willner.com/article.aspx?artid=42

>

> Sam: Good afternoon everyone, this is .... Welcome

> to

> The Willner

> Window. For those of you who might be first-time

> listeners, the focus

> of

> this show is nutritional supplements–vitamins,

> herbs,

> homeopathic

> remedies–and their proper usage. With me this

> afternoon is . .

> Don, why don’t you get us started?

>

> Don: I want to start off today’s program with some

> comments on

> depression, and carbohydrate cravings. Some of you

> might be surprised

> that there is a connection.

>

> Dr. Podell: Well, there is a connect. Carbohydrate

> cravings, weight

> gain

> and unexplained fatigue are hallmark symptoms of

> atypical depression, a

> common, but frequently undiagnosed, depressive

> disorder estimated to

> affect as many as one-third of depressed patients.

> According to a 1990 World Health Organization study,

> depression is

> ranked as the fourth most deadly disease worldwide

> and

> is expected to

> be

> second only to heart disease by 2020.

>

> Sam: Now, as far as conventional medicine is

> concerned, there is

> currently no recognized treatment for carbohydrate

> cravings.

> But a new study, presented at the 24th International

>

> Neuropsycho-pharmacology Congress in Paris found

> that

> nutritional

> supplementation with chromium in the form of

> chromium

> picolinate

> significantly improved carbohydrate cravings, in

> addition to other

> distinct symptoms of atypical depression.

>

> Dr. Podell: This was a double-blind,

> placebo-controlled clinical trial

> in 113 patients diagnosed with atypical depression.

> As

> Sam said, they

> found that daily supplementation with chromium

> picolinate had

> significant anti-depressant effects in a patient

> sub-group with high

> levels of carbohydrate cravings.

> People with the highest levels of carbohydrate

> cravings at baseline

> experienced the most significant clinical response

> to

> the chromium

> picolinate.

>

> Sam: This study seems to correlate with the findings

> of another study,

> a

> pilot study published in the Journal of Biological

> Psychiatry. The

> study

> was conducted at the Duke University Medical Center

> Department of

> Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

> According to Dr. Malcolm McLeod, a practicing

> psychiatrist, who

> collaborated on the Duke University study “We’ve

> seen

> remarkable

> improvements in depressed patients after

> supplementing

> with chromium

> picolinate,” He goes on to say “Chromium picolinate

> is

> a real

> breakthrough in providing safe and simple relief of

> atypical depression

> symptoms, many of which currently go untreated.”

>

> Don: Now, let’s point out a couple of things. First,

> the results of

> these studies are being circulated widely by

> Nutrition

> 21, the folks

> who

> make chromium picolinate. That’s not necessarily a

> bad

> thing. In fact,

> we should all salute Nutrition 21 for spending the

> money to support

> studies that provide us with proof that these

> supplements work. This is

> what we need.

> On the other hand, we have to keep a proper

> perspective. It’s like that

> book that come out touting the benefits of a

> combination of glucosamine

> and chondroitin in treating joint pain. That

> combination did work. It

> does work. But the research supporting it did not

> compare the

> combination to each item alone. In other words, they

> didn’t show that

> the combination was more effective than glucosamine

> alone. Or

> chondroitin alone. The supplement that they used

> happened to be

> supplied

> to the researchers by a company that marketed a

> combination. So that’s

> what they used.

> And, again, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s

> wonderful to see

> proof

> that a certain supplement works. But it’s important

> to

> avoid reading

> more into such information than we should.

>

> Sam: So in the case of chromium picolinate and its

> relationship to

> carbohydrate cravings and depression, you are saying

> that we can

> conclude that this particular form of chromium is

> effective. It does

> not

> mean, on the other hand, that this is the only form

> of

> chromium that

> will have this action.

>

> Don: Exactly, Sam. How you utilize this data is up

> to

> you. If you

> happen

> to be a person who falls into this category, and who

> has not

> supplemented with chromium, I suspect you would feel

> most comfortable

> buying a chromium supplement using the picolinate

> form. On the other

> hand, I don’t recommend you run to the medicine

> cabinet and toss any

> non-picolinate chromium that you might have in the

> trash can!

>

> Sam: What about dosage? How much chromium was used

> in

> the study?

>

> Don: Well, that leads to the other comment I want to

> make, Sam. The

> were

> using 600 mcg of chromium.

> Now this is a level that should probably be used

> only

> under a doctor’s

> supervision. Most supplements have up to 200 mcg

> chromium, including

> most multivitamin products. The general feeling is

> that up to 300 mcg

> is

> harmless.

> Evidence of danger with higher doses is spotty at

> best, but prudence

> dictates caution. What you need to do is first look

> at

> your

> multivitamin. See how much is there. Probably 200

> mcg.

> Then, look at

> your other supplements. If you are taking weight

> loss

>

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