The nutritional supplement chromium picolinate generates oxidative DNA damage and peroxidized lipids in vivo

The nutritional supplement chromium picolinate, [Cr(pic)(3)], has been proposed to damage DNA, presumably through the catalytic formation of reactive oxygen species. For this mechanism to be important in vivo, the compound needs to bind to or be in close proximity of DNA. Recent studies have shown that [Cr(pic)(3)] does not accumulate in the nucleus and is not stable for prolonged periods of time in cells; this work also demonstrates that the supplement has little if any propensity to bind to DNA. However, as the supplement enters cells intact and is potentially capable of generating oxidative damage where it does occur, experiments were performed to probe for several forms of oxidative damage in rats. [Cr(pic)(3)] was found to raise urinary and cellular 8-OHdG levels in a time dependent fashion, and the compound was found to significantly increase lipid peroxidation in vivo. Thus, oxidative DNA damage (and lipid damage) from [Cr(pic)(3)] in whole animals has been observed for the first time. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.