Effects of chromium supplementation on food energy utilization and the trace-element composition in the liver and heart of glucose-exposed young mice

Abstract

The exposure of weanling mice to 4% glucose in the drinking water for 7 wk caused a drop in the food energy utilization (expressed in terms of weight gain per unit of food energy consumed) of close to one third. No drop in food energy utilization occurred in mice exposed to 4% glucose in the water during the same period if the Cr-content of their food was increased to 5 ppm through the addition of a Cr-rich brewer's yeast. Chromium supplementation also protected against glucose-induced losses of Cr, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn in the liver and heart. These results indicate that the dietary Cr-requirement increases with increasing sugar content of the diet.

Chromium-supplemented mice maintained on water rather than glucose solution showed increased Cr levels in the liver and heart. In addition, hepatic Fe was slightly increased, whereas hepatic Zn was lowered, as compared to the unsupplemented controls; in the hearts of the Cr-supplemented mice, lower Mn, Fe, Cu, and Zn levels were observed. These findings are indicative of interactions of Cr with these essential trace elements in vivo.