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Chromium Picolinate
Chromium Picolinate Information & Review
Chromium picolinate has been touted recently as a miracle weight loss product, this is most likely due to a very good marketing campaign promoting chromium picolinate as such.
Chromium picolinate
Claims, Benefits: Builds muscle, prevents and treats diabetes, promotes weight loss.
Bottom Line: Chromium is an essential mineral, but deficiency is rare in the U.S. There's no evidence that chromium picolinate supplements perform as claimed, promote weight loss, or benefit healthy people. There is some evidence that chromium picolinate form may harm cells. Diabetics should take only on medical advice.
Full article, Wellness Letter, June 2003:
Luster and Tarnish
Chromium is an essential trace mineral for the human body. It's important in processing carbohydrates and fats, and it helps cells respond properly to insulin—the hormone, produced in the pancreas, that makes blood sugar available to the cells as our basic fuel. No one understands the exact role of chromium in all this, or even how much chromium is enough, but it doesn't take too much imagination to come up with theories that chromium picolinate might promote weight loss, treat diabetes, and perhaps even help prevent heart disease or alleviate depression. Thus, chromium, especially in the form of chromium picolinate, has become a popular supplement, and its purveyors make many health claims—while downplaying any safety concerns.
Here's a summary of the latest research in three categories:
Weight loss. Chromium picolinate supplements are often sold for weight loss, particularly for obese people who may be in danger of developing diabetes. Scientists have been studying the sup-plement's potential role in weight control, but so far the most carefully conducted studies have shown no benefits.
