Can Chromium Supplementation Help With Depression?

After magician David Blaine spent 44 days suspended in a Perspex box in Central London in 2003, he required immediate medical treatment for malnutrition. Though it would take months for him to regain the 54 pounds he shed in his "starvation stunt," Blaine was never in danger for his life until he reached the hospital. Why? Since lack of food causes insulin levels to fall, reintroducing it can trigger sudden, potentially deadly spikes in blood sugar. Fortunately, doctors are well aware of the effects re-feeding can have on malnourished patients, as it is a common condition among the indigent. What they are only now beginning to understand, however, is the connection between nutrition and depression.

Lessons from Mr. Blaine

Dismissed and derided by many as a shameless self-promoter, Mr. Blaine's exhibition of deprivation was nonetheless a worthwhile medical experiment. The insight it gave doctors into the physical and mental effects of starvation was studied by experts in numerous fields. What was most compelling, perhaps, were the illusionist's own recollections of his mindset during the stunt. Rather than focusing on hunger pains or his audience, Mr. Blaine said he experienced "a heightened sense of awareness." As anyone who has ever been in a life-and-death situation knows, this hyperaware state is caused by stress hormones that are released into the body in response to danger.

Mineral Deficiencies

Needed to execute various biological functions, essential minerals are substances that cannot be manufactured by the body and therefore must be obtained from food. Doctors have known for many years that deficiencies of some of these minerals can cause serious health issues. For example, a deficiency of calcium can result in impaired bone density. But other minerals are not as well understood, since their mechanism of action is unclear. Chromium is one of these minerals.

What is Chromium?

A mineral that humans require in trace amounts, chromium is found mostly in meat and whole-grain foods, as well as some fruits, vegetables, and spices. Because cheap, sugar-laden comestibles are quite common in the West, many people do not get enough chromium in their daily diet. Moreover, most do not have any idea what chromium is or why it is important. So, let us take a moment to educate the uninitiated.

As we mentioned, the reason chromium works, its mechanism of action, is not completely understood. But doctors do know that the mineral enhances the action of insulin, a hormone that is crucial to the metabolism and storage of macronutrients (fat, carbohydrates, and protein) in the body. In laboratory tests from the 1950s, researchers discovered that chromium works as an insulin-mimetic that helps maintain normal, healthy levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

We also know that chromium stimulates cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis, which may help improve brain function and other body processes. But above all else, chromium is essential in the metabolism of carbohydrates because it helps regulate blood sugar levels and keeps them from entering a dangerous hyperglycemic state.

Chromium and Diabetes

According to most medical professionals, cheap, sugary, carbohydrate-laden foods are primarily responsible for the explosive increase in diabetes in the Western world. A potentially deadly disease that prevents the body from using insulin effectively, it causes blood sugar to rise to unhealthy levels (hyperglycemia) and must be treated with injections of synthetic insulin. Because it helps regulate glucose levels, there is hope that supplemental chromium may help treat those that suffer from insulin resistance. How does it work?

Even those that believe chromium deficiency is dangerous do not blame it for insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. Those conditions are generally caused by poor eating habits that essentially desensitize cells to insulin's effects; often because blood sugar remains at elevated levels for protracted periods of time. Are you looking for portable storage units moving? But a dearth of chromium may make it harder for the body to use glucose to meet its energy needs. There is also evidence that chromium deficiency increases insulin requirements, which may raise the risk of insulin resistance.

Chromium and Depression

Countless studies have shown that people with diabetes are far more likely to suffer from depression. There is no simple explanation for why this is true. However, we do know that frequent hypoglycemic episodes have been linked to the disorder. This is relatively easy to understand if we accept the fact our bodies observe the law of cause and effect.

For the diabetic, their descent into depression often begins when they take too much insulin to help them lower their blood sugar, which causes hypoglycemia. When this danger zone is entered, the brain tells the adrenal glands to release stress hormones to deal with the deficiency. (Remember, this is the reason Mr. Blaine described a state of hyperawareness, i.e., his blood sugar had fallen into the hypoglycemia range because of lack of food.) This is the same emergency mode we would enter were we faced with imminent danger, and it has a dramatic effect on numerous cellular processes. For example, we know that the powerful stress hormone cortisol suppresses the effects of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, both of which help produce feeling of satisfaction and well-being.

Once again, these chemical chain reactions are fairly easy to understand if we think of them in terms of cause and effect. The cause in this case is stress hormones that are designed to put our bodies into a state of heightened awareness, and the effect is that any sense of quietude or calm is obliterated. But how do elevated levels of stress hormones cause depression? And how can chromium help?

It's All Chemical

Since everyone deals with stress differently and heritability also comes into play, it is impossible to say with any degree of certainty why some people suffer from depression as a result of chronic stress and others do not. But through testing we know that patients with clinical depression, which is the most serious form of the disorder, have consistently elevated cortisol and low dopamine and serotonin levels. We also know that chromium deficiency may help patients that suffer from atypical depression.

Recent Studies

Although there is not a wealth of data to peruse, at least two major studies have been completed on the effects of chromium on in patients with atypical depression. The first involved 113 patients, most of whom were overweight or obese, who were given chromium picolinate to determine its effect on their mood. Most demonstrated a significant therapeutic response to the supplement, which suggests that there is a link between depression and decreased insulin sensitivity. In other words, chromium may enhance insulin's effect enough to reduce the amount of stress hormones that are released during hypoglycemic episodes. The second study also found that chromium picolinate demonstrated promising antidepressant effects on those with atypical depression. Researchers also concluded that the improvement may have been the result of the increased insulin sensitivity from chromium supplementation.

Chromium Supplements

Because the best sources of the mineral are brewer's yeast, calf liver, and wheat germ, it's not surprising the chromium deficiency is fairly common. This is especially true of people with poor overall nutrition, as was the case with Mr. Blaine. The good news is that chromium levels are fairly easy to restore if you ingest between 20-35 micrograms of the mineral in supplement form. Widely available for sale on the internet, chromium supplements are inexpensive and have few side effects. There have been some reports of chromium causing sleep disturbances, allergic reactions, and an occasional irregular heartbeat. There is also some concern that the mineral may increase the risk of liver or kidney damage, though there is no evidence to support that worry.

For Diabetics

As we mentioned, chromium supplementation may be of greatest benefit to diabetics, since it may help them maintain normal glucose levels. With that said, the drug should only be taken under the supervision of a doctor because of the effect it may have on blood sugar. Most experts recommend taking no more than 200 micrograms a day.

Conclusion

There is compelling evidence that chromium can help lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity at the same time. The positive effect this action may have on people who suffer from depression has been attributed to the reduction of stress hormones that are released into the body during hypoglycemic episodes. Though chromium deficiency alone is not responsible for mental disturbances, those that suffer from diabetes and prediabetes are at increased risk of the disorder because of insulin insensitivity. Since chromium supplementation has been found to increase sensitivity to the hormone, it may help stabilize glucose levels and prevent the body slipping into a panic state, where the risk of depression rises.

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