Half-Life of Chromium Picolinate

[originalsadie]

I am trying to find out what the half-life of chromium picolinate is. I have just found out it has helped damage my kidneys, since I have taken it in large doses for years :redface:. Since I just found out today, and I took my last of it today, just before that, I want to know how long before it will be completely out of my body. If anyone knows or can find out, I would appreciate it. I have looked on the internet for hours and not had any luck except for one place which I have a hard time believing. They said it was 345 days or something like that--nearly a year. That can't be right, can it?

[chemisttree]

See here. http://books.google.com/books?id=JU8xq7IsBYcC&pg=PA45&lpg=PA45&dq=elimination+rate+chromium+picolinate&source=web&ots=YfVF0bkG-y&sig=8tbBNAcOfNuLe2cUJGXR-nAxVsc

When you ingest chromium, it is distributed throughout your body into it's various tissues. The half life will reflect just how easily it comes out of your various tissues. In pharmacokinetics, these tissues can be modeled as 'compartments'. It turns out that a 3-compartment model accurately reflects your body's ability to eliminate chromium. In that model the the chromium in the first compartment has a half life of 7 hours. That compartment contains roughly 40% of the absorbed dose of chromium. The chromium in the second compartment has an elimination half life of 15 days and roughly half of the absorbed dose of chromium resides there. The chromium in the third compartment has an elimination half life of 3 years and represents approximately 10% of the absorbed dose.

Only between 1% and 5% of the ingested dose is absorbed by the body (from a 400 mg dose) but you say you took it in large doses for years, so it it likely that your body's tissues have fairly high levels of the metal. From the reference given, nothing is mentioned about the capacity (maximum limit) of the various compartments (tissues) to absorb chromium but you may find that information in the various studies that article references.

Good luck with it.

[originalsadie]

Thank-you, very much Chemisttree--I knew if anyone could find the answer it would be someone here. I don't know how you found it but you did good :approve:. I appreciate it.

I took 500mg of it for about 4 or 5 years--which is a long time when you consider I shouldn't have taken it at all. I can't stand the thought that it will still be there in one of my compartments for 3 years! :eek:

I just thank God I'm not taking it anymore. That's the good news.

Have a great day!

[chemisttree]

I took 500mg of it for about 4 or 5 years--which is a long time when you consider I shouldn't have taken it at all. I can't stand the thought that it will still be there in one of my compartments for 3 years! :eek:


It should clear the first and second 'compartments' within those three years but the level remaining in that third compartment will only be half reduced. Good that it only contains about 10% of the absorbed dose. Elimination from that third compartment to levels less than 10% remaining might take more than a decade.

[originalsadie]

So, in about 10 years I should stop glowing in the dark. :bugeye:

It is very upsetting to think about, but it could be worse. I could still be taking it.

Countdown starts today for Feb 27, 2018.

Good Grief! :frown: