2006 Annual Report 4d.Progress report. This report documents research conducted under a Reimbursable Agreement with the National Institutes of Health in conjunction with scientists from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 1235-51520-037-00D, entitled "Chromium and polyphenols from cinnamon in the prevention and alleviation of glucose intolerance." This proposed project is a double-blind placebo controlled randomized study to determine the mode of action of chromium (Cr) in people with type 2 diabetes. The form of Cr will be Cr picolinate at 1000 µg of Cr per day for 24 weeks with 56 subjects in the Cr group and an equal number in the placebo group. A sensitive measure of glucose metabolism, the hyper insulinemic euglycemic clamp with stable isotope infusions will be used to monitor changes in glucose uptake and utilization. Blood, urine, and muscle biopsy samples will be analyzed to evaluate the role of chromium in human nutrition. The measurement of insulin signaling proteins, protein phosphorylation, and kinase activity will provide a cellular basis for the effects of Cr on insulin function. Chromium status will be assessed by determining Cr levels in the urine, plasma, and red blood cells before and after supplementation during hyper insulinemic euglycemic clamping and oral glucose tolerance tests. This is the most comprehensive Cr study performed to date and should greatly aid in understanding the role of Cr in human nutrition. Subjects have been enrolled in the study and the clinical tests for 10 subjects have been completed. Samples are currently being analyzed. Urine and serum Cr for four subjects during the glucose tolerance tests and also during the hyper insulinemic euglycemic clamps have been completed.