[Influence of chromium as a trace element on the hormonal regulation in the rat. 2. Physiological function of chromium in carbohydrate metabolism].
Young growing rats were fed additional doses of Cr-III-acetate to a balanced basic diet. The investigations of Cr metabolism indicated: 1. Rats supplied with sufficient Cr as well as those on Cr-poor diet showed the same level of blood glucose. With the Cr-poor group however a significantly smaller glycogen depot in the liver was obtained. 2. After a starving period the hypoglycaemic status of Cr-supplied rats was significantly lower than that of the Cr-depleted controls. 3. Adequate charge of adrenalin to hypoglycaemic rats showed a rise of blood glucose to the same physiological level with both Cr-supplied groups and control groups. Adding adrenalin the level of blood glucose of Cr-supplied rats decreased significantly higher than that of the controls. 4. With rats, being made hypoglycaemic by a starving period and than fed higher doses of glucose up to a slight hyperglycaemia, supplementation of sulfonylurea decreased the level of blood glucose more with the Cr-supplied groups than with the control groups. The experiments proved that adequate feeding of Cr to rats led to a higher level of bound insulin in the blood. The depot of insulin is easier mobilizable. It may be assumed that Cr acts as a insulin activator. However it seems more likely to consider other effects of Cr probably as activator to the permeability of cell membranes which as well may explain the higher glycogen depot of Cr supplied animals.