title: Chromium picolinate reduces insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: Randomized controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of chromium picolinate (CrP) on insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
  
  
  METHODS
  This double blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Gynecology outpatient clinics at Ain Shams University Women's Hospital. Using closed and randomly mixed envelopes, 100 women were selected out of 400 PCOS patients. Eighty-five patients finished the study and were analyzed, 44 in group I and 41 in group II. They were randomly allocated to 6 months of either 1000 μg CrP (50 patients), or placebo capsules (50 patients). Patients were seen monthly to encourage similar diet control and physical exercise plans. The primary outcome was fasting glucose insulin ratio (FGIR), secondary outcomes included ovulation, regularity of the cycle, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting serum insulin (FSI), and serum testosterone level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences between women of both groups regarding pretreatment levels of FBS, FSI, FGIR, and serum testosterone. Use of CrP for 6 months was associated with significant reduction of BMI (P < 0.001) and FSI (P = 0.007), and significant rise in FGIR (P = 0.045). CrP significantly increased the chances of ovulation (P = 0.011) and regular menstruation (P = 0.002) by almost twofold after the fifth month of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chromium picolinate is useful in PCOS to reduce IR and stimulate ovulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sherif
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashoush
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amgad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abou-Gamrah
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayoumy
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, El-Sahel Hospital, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Noura
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Othman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010848:Picolinic Acids; C030614:picolinic acid
keywords: chromium picolinate; infertility; insulin resistance; ovulation; polycystic ovary