If you are overweight or have diabetes, you probably know that your risk of having a heart attack is quite high. You probably also know that chromium can help you lower your risk. But now theres evidence that you can make chromium work even better. When used with another nutrient, it can lower your risk even further.
The nutrient is the vitamin biotin. Researchers recently tested it in combination with chromium. They found that the two nutrients significantly lower heart attack risk factors.
The researchers selected 30 moderately obese subjects with type-2 diabetes. Then they had the patients take either a placebo or a biotin/chromium combination.
After just four weeks, the researchers had powerful results. The group taking the nutrient combination had a significantly reduced risk of heart attack. The combination significantly improved their triglycerides. It also improved their LDL/HDL ratio compared to the placebo group.
The participants also excreted more chromium in their urine. That means that the supplement fixed their chromium deficiency. As this happened, their glucose tolerance improved. All this means considerable improvement in lab risk factors!
We have known for some time that chromium is useful in the treatment of diabetes. But it appears that the use of biotin in combination helps it work even better. These are two great nutrients that can measurably improve your diabetes-induced risk factors for heart problems. I suggest you take 200 mcg daily of chromium picolinate. As for biotin, consider starting with 1 mg per day. You can find both products at any health food store.
Ref: Chromium picolinate and biotin combination reduces atherogenic index of plasma in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized clinical trial, Geohas J, Daly A, et al, American Journal of the Medical Sciences, 2007; 333(3): 145-153.