ChromeMate® Reduces Blood Pressure

EAST LANSING, Mich.—Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a significant role in sugar-induced hypertension, which can be impacted by chromium to lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) (J Inorg Biochem. 2008; Epub ahead of print). In a study at Michigan State University, researchers fed 13 Sprague-Dawley rats a diet heavy in sucrose, which significantly increased SBP. However, adding niacin-bound chromium (as ChromeMate®, from InterHealth Nutraceuticals) to treated rats lowered SBP back toward baseline. Rats receiving chromium were more sensitive to an exogenous insulin challenge and showed decreased activity of the RAS, estimated by less lowering of SBP after losartan challenge, decreased serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and lower levels of circulating angiotensin-2. A separate group receiving captopril, an ACE inhibitor, served as a positive control and showed decreased ACE activity and circulating levels of angiotensin-2 compared to the control group.