Analysis of chromium induced carbohydrate intolerance in the rat.

Carbohydrate tolerance was studied by intravenous glucose tolerance tests in normal and chromium deficient rats. A significant difference in glucose metabolism between chromium deficient and chromium supplemented rats was demonstrated only when the glucose decay constant was calculated from the line fitting the plotted logarithms of the excess plasma glucose concentrations. Calculation of the glucose decay constant from the line fitting the logarithms of the total plasma glucose concentrations showed no significant difference between the two groups. This finding suggests that either the first method is more sensitive to mild changes in intravenous glucose tolerance in the rat, or the observed difference is a methodological artifact.