The Rat Fan Club

Chromium Extends Life Span

by Debbie “The Rat Lady” Ducommun

Chromium picolinate, a compound of chromium that is very easily absorbed by the body, has been shown to extend the average lifespan of lab rats. Dr. Gary W. Evans, a biochemist at Bemidji State University gave chromium picolinate to 10 rats and compared them to 20 rats who received chromium in a form less readily absorbed. After 41 months, 8 of the picolinate group were still alive while all 20 of the other group had died. The rats who got the chromium picolinate lived an average of 45 months, one year longer than the other rats, whose average lifespan was only 33 months.

Here’s why chromium picolinate has this effect. When the level of glucose in the blood is high, it can damage certain proteins. This is one reason why diabetes causes damage to the body. In humans, chromium picolinate reduces blood glucose levels, apparently by enhancing the activity of insulin. The USDA says 90% of people don’t get enough chromium, so they recommend everyone take a 200 mcg supplement daily. Dr. Evans recommends people take twice this amount.

Keep in mind that this study was done on lab rats who are free of mycoplasma. While I have no doubt giving chromium picolinate to your rats is beneficial, it may not have the same life-lengthening effect on rats who have mycoplasma. (I have found that aggressive antibiotic treatment minimizes the chance that rats will die from Mycoplasma.)

Note: More recent studies have shown that chromium picolinate seems to have some deleterious effects on the DNA of the reproductive cells. For instance, one study showed that it produced chromosome damage in Chinese hamster ovary cells and in another study it produced genetic damage in fruit flies. Therefore, I do not recommend giving chromium picolinate to rats used for breeding. However, other than that there have been no studies that show there are any further risks that outweigh the benefits shown in the original study.

Dosing Your Rat

If you make the homemade rat diet, the chromium is already included. Alternatively, you can mix it into something your rat will eat. To find the dosage for your rat, multiply his weight in pounds x 189. For example, the dosage for a rat who weighs 0.75 pounds (12 oz.) is 142 mcg. This is a huge dose compared to the human dose recommended by the USDA. Dr. Evans says the dosage for rats is so large because it’s based on metabolic rate, not just on body weight.

If you have several rats of different weights, you might be able to give some of them the same dose. To figure the maximum dose your rat should get, multiply his weight in pounds by 227. Here are 2 recipes to try:

Non-fat Cream Cheese Balls

1 T Philidelphia FREE brand spread (if your rat is allergic to dairy products, use another recipe)

chromium picolinate for 40 days

(add 1 t peanut butter for flavoring if desired)

Mix ingredients together to make a “cookie dough.” If too stiff, add more cheese. If too soft, add some flour. Form on wax paper into a rectangle and cut into 40 small squares. Roll each into a ball and coat with flour. Freeze half, and keep the remaining balls in the refrigerator. Give one ball each evening. (Note: Chromium picolinate is often pink and may make the balls pink-this is okay.)

Peanut Butter Cookies (recipe by Cindy Lee)

2 T whole wheat flour

1 t peanut butter (if your rat is allergic to peanuts you can use any other nut butter)

fruit juice

chromium picolinate for 40 days

Mix the flour and chromium picolinate. Cut in the nut butter with a knife. Add just enough juice to hold the dough together. Knead lightly and roll out on a floured plate. Cut into 40 equal sized pieces. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 5-8 minutes (a toaster oven works great.) Cookies should be slightly chewy. Store in the refrigerator. Feed one cookie each evening.

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