Chromium is an essential
mineral that is necessary for the conversion of food into energy. It is
found to be vital for keeping your blood sugar level stable because the insulin,
which clears glucose from the blood, can't work properly without it.
Chromium keeps levels of
glucose in the blood stable. Glucose is the most important nutrient for the
brain and in order for our brains to work effectively we need a steady supply
of it. Any imbalance in this supply results in a range of symptoms, depression
being one of them.
In addition to its blood
sugar-regulating effect, chromium appears to alter the body’s response to
serotonin, one of the major brain chemicals involved in depression.
Atypical Depression
If you answer yes to a five or
more of these questions and you might be suffering from atypical
depression.
• Do you crave sweets or other carbohydrates?
• Do you tend to gain weight?
• Are you tired for no obvious reason?
• Do your arms or legs feel heavy?
• Do you tend to feel sleepy or groggy much of the time?
• Are your feelings easily hurt by the rejection of others?
• Did your depression begin before the age of 30?
• Do you tend to gain weight?
• Are you tired for no obvious reason?
• Do your arms or legs feel heavy?
• Do you tend to feel sleepy or groggy much of the time?
• Are your feelings easily hurt by the rejection of others?
• Did your depression begin before the age of 30?
It is called atypical because in “classic” major
depression people lose their appetite, don’t eat enough, lose weight and
can’t sleep whereas with atypical, the opposite is generally true. Atypical
depression affects anywhere from 25 to 42 percent of the depressed population,
and an even higher percentage among depressed women so it’s extremely common
rather than being “atypical”.
Atypical
depression is depressed mood associated with increase in appetite
(especially craving for carbs), unexplained exhaustion and painful sensitivity
to rejection. It is the most common type of depression. Craving for
carbohydrates is also a troublesome and frequent symptom in premenstrual
syndrome and Seasonal
Affective Disorder or SAD, more commonly known as winter blues.
Link
between Chromium and Depression
The discovery of the link between chromium and
depression was made by a psychoanalyst Professor Malcolm McLeod by accident.
McLeod was treating a patient called George who had been depressed for several
years. He suddenly got completely better after taking a nutritional supplement.
“It was unbelievable. Without the supplement his depression returned. I
narrowed it down to the chromium in the supplement.”
McLeod then ran a small trial giving depressed patients
either chromium or placebos and reported highly significant improvements. McLeod
gave ten patients suffering from atypical depression chromium supplements of
600mcg a-day and five others a placebo for eight weeks. The results were
dramatic. Seven out of ten taking the supplements showed a big improvement,
versus none on the placebo. Their Hamilton Rating Score for depression dropped
by an unheard of 83%; from 29 - major depression - to 5 – not depressed.
A larger trial at Cornell University with 113
patients has confirmed the finding. After eight weeks 65% of those on chromium
had had a major improvement, compared to 33% on placebos.
“For many people chromium is the missing link” says
Holford from London’s Brain Bio Centre “Most the patients we see with
depression respond to simple diet changes and supplements. For some its
chromium, while others respond to omega 3 fats or an amino acid called 5-HTP.
We find out exactly what’s out of balance and correct it with nutrients rather
than drugs. This is the future. Most of our patients are off anti-depressant
drugs within a year.”
Other studies have confirmed the initial assessment
that chromium has a good track record in alleviating depression. A University
of North Carolina study found that the addition of chromium dramatically
improved symptoms of depression, with no adverse side effects.
A Duke University study validated that adding
chromium supplements to diet significantly improved symptoms of atypical
depression, and patients’ tendency to overeat. In the study, 75 people with
atypical depression, most of whom were overweight or obese, received either 600
mcg per day of chromium (as chromium picolinate) or a placebo for eight weeks.
The proportion of people who improved by at least 50% (responders) was greater
in the chromium group than in the placebo group (54% versus 36%), although this
difference was not statistically significant. However, significant differences
were seen when the analysis was restricted to those people who reported that they
had severe carbohydrate craving (a possible indicator of abnormal glucose
metabolism). In that subset, the proportion of responders was 65% in the
chromium group and only 33% in the placebo group, a statistically significant
difference. No significant side effects were observed in people taking
chromium.
The results of this study indicate that people with
atypical depression who also crave carbohydrates are likely to improve if they
take 600 mcg of chromium per day. If chromium works by improving blood-glucose
regulation, then its effects might be enhanced by dietary changes (avoiding
refined sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, and eating small, frequent meals) and by
supplementing with other blood-glucose-stabilizing nutrients, including B
vitamins, magnesium, zinc, and copper. Regular aerobic exercise may also
relieve depression, possibly by improving insulin sensitivity and blood-sugar
control.
Chromium
Deficiency
An estimated 90% of Americans are chromium-deficient
from eating the typical Western diet of processed foods and simple
carbohydrates, which have been stripped of important nutrients such as
chromium.
Side Effects
Studies report that there are no substantial side
effects for chromium intake, except for general positive effects on the
physical and mental health as more energy and better weight control. However,
for the same reason, chromium, if taken in the evening, can increase energy and
hence interfere with sleep.
Sources
and Additional Information:
