About Chromium Picolinte:

Chromium Picolinate nutritional supplement is a combination of the element chromium and picolinic acid Chromium is an essential trace mineral found in various food. Chromium Picolinate plays a key role in the burning of carbohydrates and the fats in the body. Chromium Picolinate also helps insulin function, regulating blood sugar levels. Chromium Picolinate is also a dietary supplement that's useful for helping to suppress appetite and food carvings. Recently, Chromium Picolinate has been marketed as a "safe alternative to steroids," claiming to increase strength and lean muscle mass.

Chromium Picolinate may help to:

Control diabetes and symptoms related to high blood sugar. In people with type 2 diabetes, the pancreas secretes plenty of insulin in an effort to regulate blood sugar levels, but the body's cells don't respond to it. Researchers have found that a molecule called ''glucose tolerance factor'' (GTF) is critical for increasing the sensitivity of these cells to insulin. And GTF contains chromium. If GTF does indeed increase insulin sensitivity, chromium supplements may have a role to play in normalizing blood sugar levels. Several double-blind clinical trials have borne this out. Some studies have even found that chromium supplements enable certain people with diabetes to decrease their dosage of diabetes medications. Taking the chromium with vitamin B3 (niacin) may enhance the chromium's effects.

And although not yet confirmed in clinical trials, chromium supplements may have a role to play in preventing excessive blood sugar drops in people without diabetes. Symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), including headaches, fatigue, and irritability, may be less likely to occur as a result.

Promote weight loss in people who are obese. As a result of the FTC ruling, the manufacturer of chromium picolinate is only allowed to state that their product can help a moderately obese person improve body composition by increasing muscle mass and reducing fat. Aside from this ruling, research on the ability of chromium picolinate to promote weight loss by burning fat has, indeed, produced mixed results. In a 1998 study, 122 healthy adults recruited from health clubs in Texas were given either 400 mcg of chromium picolinate or a placebo daily. At the end of three months, the individuals who took the chromium supplement lost six pounds in the form of body fat--not valuable muscle--while those on the placebo lost only three pounds.

Other studies, however, have failed to show that chromium supplements are any more effective than a placebo. Perhaps, in combination with a well-balanced diet and regular exercise program, chromium picolinate may give the dieter a slight advantage, but much more research is needed to determine whether the mineral actually aids weight loss. Claiming that chromium taken at bedtime will "burn fat while you sleep" are completely unsubstantiated.

Note: Chromium has also been found to be useful for a number of other disorders. For information on these additional ailments, see our Dosage Recommendations Chart for Chromium.

Forms

tablet, softgel, capsule.

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Herbs & Nutrition Analyist