Chromax® Declared Safe

Chromax® Declared Safe

PURCHASE, N.Y.Chromax®chromium picolinate does not produce chromosomal aberrations in Chinese HamsterOvary (CHO) cells, per results of a study slated for publication in the Journalof Mutation Research, Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis,according to Nutrition 21 (www.nutrition21.com), supplier of the ingredient. Thestudy, conducted by BioReliance Corp. and monitored by ENVIRON Health Sciences,is the second of two genetic toxicology studies conducted at the request of theUnited Kingdom (UK) Food Standards Agency (FSA) to assess the safety of chromiumpicolinate, the company said. The sale of chromium picolinate is permitted inthe UK following FSAs approval in late 2004.

The first study was published in August 2005 and foundchromium picolinate did not damage DNA or cause gene mutations. The study showedno statistically significant increases in structural or numerical chromosomeaberrations in CHO cells at any test dose level. The studies were conducted incompliance with the ICH guidelines, applied Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)Standards, and used chromium picolinate as Chromax, a commercially availableform of nutritional chromium.

When chromium picolinate was tested using theinternationally accepted guidelines, no chromosome damage was seen, even at testdoses as high as approximately 770 mcg/mL, a concentration that precipitated inthe culture medium, said Ronald Slesinski, Ph.D., DABT, senior scientist atENVIRON Health Sciences. These findings are consistent with previous studiesthat showed no genotoxic effects from chromium picolinate in CHO animal cellcultures, living animals or humans and should put to rest lingering safetyconcerns about the safety of Chromax chromium picolinate.