Mass spectrometric and spectroscopic studies of the nutritional supplement chromium(III) nicotinate.
Despite chromium nicotinate's popular use as a chromium nutritional supplement, the structure and composition of chromium nicotinate have only been poorly described. As solid chromium nicotinate is intractable, being insoluble or unstable in common solvents, studies on the solid have been limited, and studies of the solution from which the "compound" precipitates have additionally provided little additional data. The results of mass spectrometric and spectroscopic investigations designed to further elucidate the structure and composition of chromium nicotinate are described. The results demonstrated that the three common methods for producing "chromium nicotinate" all yield different compounds, all of which are polymers of Cr(III), oxygen-bound nicotinate, hydroxide, and water. Implications for interpreting results of nutritional studies of "chromium nicotinate" are discussed.
Rhodes
Nicholas R
NR
Department of Chemistry and Coalition for Biomolecular Products, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0336, USA.
Konovalova
Tatyana
T
Liang
Qiaoli
Q
Cassady
Carolyn J
CJ
Vincent
John B
JB
D002857:Chromium / Q000737:chemistry*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis*; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009525:Niacin / Q000737:chemistry*; D013057:Spectrum Analysis
D002857:Chromium; D009525:Niacin