Safety of Chromium

New Studies Confirm Safety of Chromium Picolinate

Chromium Picolinate Safety Data Presented at Centers for Disease and Prevention Conference

For Immediate Release
Date: 9/14/2004

MORGANTOWN, West Virginia-September 14, 2004-Nutrition 21, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXXI)- A review of recent studies on the safety of chromium picolinate was presented today at a Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) conference on metal toxicity and carcinogenesis. Ronald S. Slesinski, PhD, DABT, president-elect of the Regulatory & Safety Specialty Section of the Society of Toxicology, presented a review of recent scientific evidence confirming the safety of chromium picolinate for use as a nutritional supplement.

Dr. Slesinski's presentation reviewed new safety data and conclusions from the largest expert review of the complete body of research about chromium picolinate safety, which was recently published in Food and Chemical Toxicology. This data further supports chromium picolinate's status as a Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS)* ingredient in nutritional bars and beverages. This review included an extensive catalog of research conducted by scientists at United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the National Institutes of Heath's (NIH) National Toxicology Program (NTP), and leading academic institutions.

"The safety research overwhelmingly confirms that chromium picolinate is a safe nutritional supplement," said Dr. Slesinski. "Research studies conducted by the USDA, NTP, and at independent testing laboratories, show no evidence of genetic toxicity."

Dr. Slesinski addressed findings from two previous laboratory studies alleging adverse effects on hamster cells exposed to chromium picolinate, comparative or higher doses of chromium picolinate produced no adverse effects in these same tests," said Dr. Slesinski. "Chromium picolinate has never been shown to be mutagenic in animals or to produce damage to genetic material (DNA) in humans when ingested, at any dose."

Chromium picolinate, manufactured by Nutrition 21, Inc., is the most studied form of nutritional chromium available in dietary supplements, and is consumed by over 10 million people annually. "The preponderance of evidence presented at the CDC conference further supports the safety of chromium picolinate as a nutritional supplement for people with insulin resistance and related chronic diseases," stated James Komorowski, MS, VP Technical Services and Regulatory Affairs, Nutrition 21, Inc.

Chromium is an essential mineral that is critical to proper insulin function and metabolism. A number of clinical studies have shown that nutritional supplementation with chromium, in the form of chromium picolinate, helps improve insulin function and blood sugar control in people with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

About Nutrition 21
Nutrition 21, Inc. is a bioscience firm that develops chromium-based nutritional products, which are supported by clinical research. The company holds 35 patents for nutrition products, and 22 patents for chromium compounds and their uses. For more information, visit www.nutrition21.com .

*GRAS substances are those whose use is generally recognized by experts as safe, based on their extensive history of use in food before 1958 or based on published scientific evidence.