RESUMO
In this work, thirty adult male albino rats were used to study the effect of chromium deficiency and supplementation on carbohydrates and lipid metabolism. Rats were divided into three equal groups control, chromium deficient and chromium supplemented. Rats of the first group were fed on normal diet, rats of the second group were fed on a chromium deficient diet. Rats of the third group were fed on the same chromium deficient diet but were supplemented with oral chromium picolinate [90 |-l micro gm / kg body weight] daily for forty five days. At the end of the experimental period [45 days] plasma glucose, insulin serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and HDL were determined. The study showed that chromium deficiency led to a significant increase in plasma glucose level, and insulin with insignificant changes in serum triglycerides, cholesterol, HDL and LDL as compared to control group. The study showed also that chromium supplementation led to an insignificant increase in serum glucose and insulin with significant decrease in serum triglycerides, cholesterol, LDL and a significant increase in serum HDL