memory, dementia, chromium picolinate, cognitive abilities
Protect your memory with chromium picolinate
Researchers from the University of Cincinnati recently presented their findings, that a daily supplement of chromium picolinate helps increase brain activity in older people experiencing early memory decline, at the 19th annual meeting of the American Neuropsychiatric Association. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans showed that a daily dose of 1,000 micrograms led to greater activation in various parts of the brain.
Lead researcher, Robert Krikorian, said: "The current study showed that older adults taking chromium picolinate exhibited greater brain activation while engaged in a cognitively demanding task."
Memory: Adding to chromium picolinate wide range of health benefits
The new study, which included about 30 people, adds to a growing body of science reporting potential health benefits of chromium picolinate, most notably for blood sugar control in diabetics.
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that occurs naturally in small amounts in some foods, including brewer's yeast, lean meat, cheese, pork kidney and whole grain bread and cereals. It is poorly absorbed by the human body but is known to play an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat and protein.
Several reports have indicated that chromium picolinate is better absorbed by humans than other forms of the mineral.
Memory: Assessing the results
Krikorian and his fellow researchers looked at a subset of 13 older adults (average age 72.5) with signs of early memory decline and randomly receiving the chromium picolinate supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. Brain activity was measured using fMRI while the participants worked on a challenging cognitive task that involved holding in mind and manipulating visual information.
According to the researchers, the fMRI scans showed an increase in activation in right thalamic, right temporal, right posterior parietal and bilateral frontal regions in participants receiving chromium picolinate.
Commenting on the findings the researchers said: "These brain imaging results support findings from the prior study suggesting that chromium picolinate may be beneficial for older adults with early memory decline and metabolic irregularities, factors that substantially increase the risk for dementia. These findings substantiate the need for continued research to determine the nature and extent of this enhancement."
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