Chromium and yogurt effects on glucose, insulin and hepatic lipid in obese mice

Dietary chromium (Cr) supplements in casein or yogurt-based diets were fed to genetically obese C57BL/6J-OB (ob/ob) mice. Diet groups were casein negative control (C), yogurt negative control (Y), enriched yogurt (EnY), medium chromium yogurt (MCrY), high chromium yogurt (HCrY) (1.83 ppm), and high chromium casein (HCrC) (1.85 ppm). Food and water were available ad libitum and no significant differences were observed in final body weight. In obese mice total hepatic lipid was significantly greater in the C than in the HCrC group and in the Y than in the HCrY group. Plasma immunoreactive insulin levels tended to be lower in animals fed HCrC and HCrY diets. Insulin/glucose ratio was significantly higher in the C group than in the HCrY group indicating that more insulin was required in the negative control group to handle an equivalent quantity of glucose. In the obese mouse, a model for insulin resistance, Cr supplementation apparently affects both hepatic lipid deposition and insulin/glucose ratio.