Beneficial Effect of Chromium-rich Yeast on Glucose Tolerance and Blood Lipids in Elderly Subjects

Abstract

Twenty-four volunteers, mean age 78, including eight mildly non-insulin-dependent diabetics, were randomly allocated to one of two groups and were fed (daily for 8 wk) 9 g of either chromium-rich brewers' yeast (experimental) or chromium-poor torula yeast (control). Before and after yeast supplementation, the serum glucose and insulin response to 100 g oral glucose was measured at 30 min intervals for 2 h. Fasting serum cholesterol, total lipids, and triglycerides were also determined. In the total experimental group (normals + diabetics) and in both the diabetic and nondiabetic experimental subgroups, glucose tolerance improved significantly and insulin output decreased after supplementation. Cholesterol and total lipids fell significantly after supplementation in the total experimental group. The cholesterol decrease was particularly marked in hypercholesterolemic subjects (cholesterol > 300 mg/dl). In the control group, no significant change in glucose tolerance, insulin, triglycerides, or total lipids was found. Cholesterol was significantly lowered in the nondiabetic but not in the diabetic group. Thus, chromium-rich brewers' yeast improved glucose tolerance and total lipids in elderly subjects, while chromium-poor torula yeast did not. An improvement in insulin sensitivity also occurred with brewers' yeast supplementation. This supports the thesis that elderly people may have a low level of chromium and that an effective source for chromium repletion, such as brewers' yeast, may improve their carbohydrate tolerance and total lipids. The improvement in serum cholesterol in some control subjects, as well as in the total experimental group, also suggests the presence of a hypocholesterolemic factor other than chromium in both brewers' and torula yeast.

Possible Adverse Effect of Chromium in Occupational Exposure of Tannery Workers.

“…In a previous study we observed higher serum chromium, and lower insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels in tannery workers with respect to the control group and our results 12) . Similar findings are reported in studies on trivalent chromium supplementation 13,14) . The present work was undertaken in order to provide more information on possible health effects of chromium in tannery workers.…”

Effect of chromium niacinate and chromium picolinate supplementation on lipid peroxidation, TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in blood of streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats

“…Our study shows that, compared with chromium picolinate, chromium niacinate was more effective at lowering triglycerides, total cholesterol, and ratio of total to HDL cholesterol. An effect of supplementation of chromium chloride or chromium picolinate on lowering of blood cholesterol and triglycerides has been reported in previous studies (14,(16)(17)(18)(19)21). The present finding that Cr 3+ -N decreases ratio of total to HDL-cholestrol in STZ-treated diabetic rats is consistent with a previous study in obese type 2 diabetic mice (34), which suggests that Cr 3+ -N supplementation can increase good cholesterol in diabetes.…”

Glucose Tolerance Factor – Insulin Mimetic and Potentiating Agent – A Source for a Novel Anti Diabetic Medication

“…Brewers' yeast is also included among the anti diabetic natural sources [46,47]. Schwartz and Mertz were the first to discover the natural anti diabetic agent present in yeast and called it "Glucose Tolerance Factor" (GTF) [1].…”

“…Offenbacher and Pi Sunyer [46], examined 24 elderly subjects, who were fed daily for 8 weeks with brewers' yeast as a sorce for GTF. They found a considerable improvement in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, and a reduction of total lipids in these patients.…”