Body and Being
NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR HEALTH AND BODY CARE
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Chromium effective for common mood disorder
by Alan R. Gaby, M.D.
(January 2006) — Chromium supplementation may relieve mood disorder symptoms known as atypical depression, according to the Journal of Psychiatric Practice. These findings are good news for people who suffer from this often difficult to treat condition.
Atypical depression, the most common form of depression in outpatients, is characterized by increased appetite, excessive sleepiness, sluggishness, increased sensitivity to being rejected and improved mood when something good happens. Compared with other forms of depression, it tends to be more chronic and is associated with more suicidal thoughts and greater disability. Medical therapy usually consists of a specific type of antidepressant drug.
The symptoms of atypical depression resemble those of a blood sugar regulation disorder commonly called reactive hypoglycemia or dysinsulinism. This metabolism abnormality results in a wide range of physical and mental symptoms and may be relieved by changes to the diet — such as avoiding refined sugar, caffeine and alcohol — and eating small meals six times a day.
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that plays a key role in blood sugar regulation by facilitating the action of insulin. Chromium deficiency in animals leads to insulin resistance and diabetes, and chromium supplementation has improved blood sugar control in people with either diabetes or reactive hypoglycemia. It is possible that atypical depression is a manifestation of reactive hypoglycemia or dysinsulinism. If so, chromium supplementation might relieve symptoms by improving blood sugar regulation.
In the new study, adults with atypical depression were randomly assigned to receive 600 mcg of chromium per day or a placebo for eight weeks. In the chromium group, 54% experienced a clinically significant improvement in depression compared with 36% in the placebo group.
While this difference was not statistically significant, the chromium group showed significant improvements in four depression-related symptoms: appetite increase, increased eating, carbohydrate craving and daily fluctuations of feelings. Because chromium was effective for those specific symptoms, the participants who suffered from carbohydrate cravings at the start of the study were analyzed separately.
In that subset, 65% of those receiving chromium but only 33% of those receiving placebo responded to treatment, a statistically significant difference. Chromium treatment did not cause any serious side effects.
This study suggests that chromium supplementation relieves certain symptoms in people with atypical depression and also severe carbohydrate craving. If chromium works by improving blood sugar regulation, then its effects might be enhanced by appropriate dietary modifications and by supplementing with other blood sugar-stabilizing nutrients, including B vitamins, magnesium, zinc and copper.
It is also possible that chromium works by a separate mechanism: by altering the way in which the chemical messenger serotonin functions in the brain. Additional research is needed to further clarify which depressed patients are most likely to respond to chromium, what is the optimal dose, and what dietary modifications and other nutritional supplements would maximize its benefits.
This information is intended for educational purposes only. It is not provided in order to diagnose, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease, illness or injury. Those individuals suffering from any disease, illness or injury should consult with their healthcare provider.
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