"Our most important finding is that chromium picolinate and biotin help to decrease hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] values in poorly controlled diabetics," said lead investigator Cesar Albarracin, MD, Internist and Medical Director, Alpha Therapy Research Center, Corpus Christi, Texas, United States.

Dr. Albarracin said that levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) dropped about 27 points. "This is very important because, compared with other medications that don't affect lipids, this combination treatment decreased lipids and therefore decreased cardiovascular risk factors," he explained.

In this 90-day, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, multicenter, prospective study, the investigators randomized subjects in a 2:1 ratio to active treatment (600 mcg chromium picolinate and biotin 2 mg/per day) or to placebo.

The researchers gathered data on patients' fasting levels of HbA1c, plasma glucose, and lipids, as well as safety information at baseline and at end point. They analyzed the data on the intent-to-treat population of 368 subjects. They defined intent-to-treat subjects as those who received at least one study dose and had one post-baseline HbA1c measurement.

Results show improvements in levels of HbA1c (P < .01), total cholesterol (P < .02), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (P < .0001) in subjects randomized to the active treatment compared to placebo subjects.

Among those with higher HbA1c levels at baseline, active treatment subjects achieved an even greater reduction (>7%, -0.54%; >8%, -0.73%; >9%, -1.17%; >10%, -1.78%; >11%, -1.96%).

At endpoint, fasting levels of plasma glucose were lower among active treatment subjects than among placebo subjects (159 mg/dL vs. 171 mg/dL; P < .03).

Among subjects with baseline cholesterol levels above 200 mg/dL, levels of total cholesterol decreased for active treatment subjects but not for placebo subjects (-19.11 mg/dL vs. -5.87 mg/dL; P < .06).

The researchers also reported that LDL cholesterol decreased in active treatment subjects but not in placebo subjects (-21.7 mg/dL vs. -8.2 mg/dL; P < .02).

"This is the largest study done in the US with this combination of agents," Dr. Albarracin said. "It gives us an additional therapy to help patients with diabetes. You can add this to the current therapy and obtain a better response. This treatment is also very inexpensive, about $10 [US]a month. It is very well tolerated and safe."


[Presentation title: Improvement in Glycemic Control, Lipids and Insulin Sensitivity with the Combination of Chromium Picolinate and Biotin in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Abstract 1784]

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