Effect of different doses of chromium picolinate on protein metabolism in infant rats

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2004;18(1):33-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2004.02.002.

Abstract

This 12-day study was conducted to evaluate the effects of three different levels of dietary chromium (100, 200, and 500 microg/day) in the form of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on growth and protein use in weaned rats. No significant effect of CrPic on body weight gain, food intake, or food conversion rate was observed. Elevated doses of CrPic seemed to increase muscle mass, either by stimulating protein anabolism by activation of insulin by chromium or by lowering protein degradation. However, these effects had no repercussions on overall growth, suggesting that any anabolic effect of chromium due to the action of insulin was probably marginal.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Body Weight / drug effects*
  • Cathepsin A / metabolism
  • Dietary Proteins / metabolism*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Liver / anatomy & histology
  • Liver / chemistry
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Muscles / anatomy & histology
  • Muscles / chemistry
  • Nitrogen / metabolism
  • Organ Size
  • Picolinic Acids / administration & dosage*
  • Picolinic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • Dietary Proteins
  • Insulin
  • Picolinic Acids
  • Cathepsin A
  • Nitrogen
  • picolinic acid