Chromium

[byu barry]

Quick question. What is the difference between chromium chelate and chromium picolinate? Is it the same thing or what?

Thanks,
BYU Barry

[Peter Lee]

Quick question. What is the difference between chromium chelate and chromium picolinate? Is it the same thing or what?

Thanks,
BYU Barry
Chromium picolinate is the chromium salt of picolinic acid.

Chromium chelate is a different type of chemical. I can't tell you what it is because the term chromium chelate is an incomplete chemical name. The chromium is chelated with something but the name doesn't say with what. A chelate is a metal complex.

I take chromium picolinate and have not come across other forms for diabetes stabilisation.

[Peter Lee]

Chromium picolinate is the chromium salt of picolinic acid.

Chromium chelate is a different type of chemical. I can't tell you what it is because the term chromium chelate is an incomplete chemical name. The chromium is chelated with something but the name doesn't say with what. A chelate is a metal complex.

I take chromium picolinate and have not come across other forms for diabetes stabilisation.
I've now looked up the structure of chromium picolinate and find that what I wrote is not correct.

The structure given, is that of a chelate so it looks as if the names chromium picolinate and chromium chelate are in fact the same chemical. If it's important to you, you should ask your pharmacist for confirmation.

Sorry about the previous post :o :embarasse

[duck]

Bodybuilders won't touch the chelated stuff--they claim it is cheaper and of no biological value, if you trust those people.

[byu barry]

Thanks Peter,

I suppose I will ask for additional clarification. It appears all my suppliments contain chelate or amino acid chelate (arrrg). I asked the same question on another board and they pretty much parroted your first reply. That is, picolinate is what I want and the chelate is not as readily absorbed or something.

http://www.nutrition21.com/NEWS_chromium_picolinate/New-Study-Shows-Chromax-Chromium-Picolinate-is-Better-Absorbed-Than-Other-Forms-of-Nutritional-Chromium_113.aspx

Sorry about answering my on question but I thought it was a simple one. I was wrong again.

[lesley]

I would be surprised if the chelated was not more readily absorbed. You do need to ask your chemist/doctor. I use chelated trace elements, chelated potassium and chelated iron in my aquariums because they dissolve in the water. Normal fertilising products will not.