Chromium And Chromium Picolinate
Food Sources: Beef, beer, black pepper, bran, brewer's yeast, cheese, chicken, clams, corn oil, liver, meat, mushrooms, poultry, shellfish, thyme, wheat germ, whole-grain cereals.
Effects: Chromium assists in the breakdown and distribution of proteins and carbohydrates in the body. It is also essential for the production of an enzyme-like substance called Glucose Tolerance Factor or GTF (chromium combined with nicotinic acid and amino acids), which aids in the making and proper utilization of insulin; this insulin, in turn, takes carbohydrates from the blood and gets them to the brain cells, which use them for energy. It is believed that sufficient amounts keep the blood sugar on a consistent level, preventing mood swings, depression, and adultonset diabetes, and providing energy throughout the day. Chromium picolinate is a scientifically developed form which appears to be more efficient than regular chromium; it may also have a mild muscle-building effect on people with a regular exercise program. Chromium picolinate, as well as chromium polynicotinate and chromium chloride, can inhibit sugar-induced high blood pressure. The picolinate and polynicotinate forms (the latter sold under the brand name Chrome-Mate) also act as antioxidants.
Deficiency (which may be very widespread in the U.S. population) can lead to diabetes mellitus (though this condition may result from a chromiumpoor diet that is deficient in other minerals, too) and arteriosclerosis (though chromium's exact role in this is not yet clear). Refined sugar should be avoided for three reasons: it has been stripped of its chromium (along with the magnesium), it requires chromium to metabolize it, and it causes a loss of chromium through the urine.
Precautions: Some people cannot convert chromium chloride or chromium from chelated supplements into the "biologically active" form, or GTF, that the body can use, in which case chromium should only be taken under a doctor's supervision, especially in cases of those who are diabetic. Chromium salts, which are an inorganic form of chromium, do not seem to be absorbed by the body very well and so are of little use as supplements. As people get older, they retain less of this mineral in their bodies. A few more things should be kept in mind: cases of allergies to this mineral have been reported; and the chromium content of brewer's yeast, though often high, varies among brands. There are no known symptoms of toxicity, attributable, perhaps, to the low absorption rate (about 2 percent of intake); however, ulceration of the nasal tissues and toxic levels can occur with long-time exposure in workers who deal with chromium in metal plating or making dyes. There is one case of a false-positive reading for a test of porphyria in a man who took one-third of an ounce a day. Chromium supplements should not be taken at the same time as vanadium supplements, as there could be a negative interaction between them. Chromium picolinate's reputation as a muscle-building nutrient may be overrated, its effect possibly due to the fact that subjects may have been deficient in chromium to begin with. One study in 1996 showed that chromium picolinate caused chromosome damage in cells that had been grown in a laboratory; what this means for individuals taking the supplement is, as yet, undetermined.
Dosage: The RDA has not yet been established. Studies seem to indicate that 200 meg/day for women is a good dose; athletes and those who exercise heavily - male or female - may need up to 400 meg/day (though Dr. Stuart Berger recommends only 40 meg/day for those who exercise at least 5 times a week). Some recommend no more than 200 meg/day on the basis that no adequate research has been conducted on levels higher than that. Studies on lab animals have shown, however, that it might take a dose of several thousand times the recommended dosage to produce adverse side effects.
Questions and Answers
How effective are chromium picolinate and L-carnitine for loosing weight?, How effective are chromium picolinate and L-carnitine for loosing weight? How many kilos have you lost taking these two supplements? Is it safe to combine both suplements?
i'm taking both of those you mentioned but only because i need a little help. I religiously workout 1 hr 6x a week, i minimize my salt intake, just boiled chicken, half cup rice, fruits, i alternate fish ( steamed or fried in omega 9 oil ), steamed veggies, i stopped drinking sodas even the diet ones. I take l cartinine after i work out each morning and i take the chromium before i retire at night ( tho it will make you pee a lot ). I have lost a total of 15lbs in 2 months. I cannot say that the supplements made the weight lose, my workout and diet complimented the supplements. I also drink green tea after my dinner ( just plain wheat bread and peanut butter). It;s hard to lose weight but i am determined to win this battle. email me if you need some more advise. Good luck.
What will happen if you take too much Chromium Picolinate?, Is it dangerous to take more than 1 Chromimum Picolinate pill per day? For those who don't know what Chromium Picolinate is it helps break down sugar, and fat more easily. Anyway, will it do harm to anything if you take more than one rather than two like directed on the bottle? Just trying to lose the fat quicker along with working out like I've been doing and eating low sugar foods.
I took it for quite sometime, but did not find that it did anything to help with weight loss.
Fat is NOT going to come off quickly. Don't believe any of the many silly ads and commercial about products that "burn fat", they don't... what they do is just for the seller who cleans out your wallet!
Is it safe for me to take Chromium Picolinate?, I'm 17 and I will be 18 in October and I was wondering if I was old enough to take it. I have had recent hair loss from stress and heard that Chromium Picolinate would help help.
yes but only as directed
What will chromium picolinate do to me & PCOS?, have PCOS and have read recently about the natural benefits of chromium. I purchased Chromium picolinate - 400mg - is this too much to take at once? I am concerned about sudden weight gain (40lbs since feb), fatigue and while i wouldn't say i'm depressed, i'm just not motivated to be sociable. Will i see a difference with this? I'm also thinking of stopping my levora - i think my hormones are all out of whack. I can't see my doctor till sept and am getting impatient sitting here getting bigger by the minute.
I think you should stop everything! And if you can't get motivated to work out at least add some healthy snacks for substitutes or switch to diet soda. That is alot of weight to gain in that short time. You don't have to be sociable to workout. Take a short brisk walk every evening and take deep breaths . Especially when fall comes and the weather is cooler after an evening walk you should feel rejuvenated.
Is it safe to take 200 mcg of Chromium Picolinate at the age of 16?, I'm 16 and i was thinking of taking chromium picolinate to lose weight and gain muscle. Also i drink whey protein and take creatine, will any of those have any bad side effects combined with the chromium picolinate.
I knew someone who took Chromium Picolinate for about a year and he ended up in the hospital with a kidney stone.
Is It Unhealthy to combine Effexor XR & Chromium Picolinate?, I have been told that taking Chromium Picolinate at the same time as Effoxor XR will diminish the effects of the Effexor XR. Does anyone know if this is true?
I don't know if this is true, but I do know that Chromium picolinate has been known to cause kidney failure in some poeple. There was a study done on wrestlers who used the chromium to decrease fat and some of them had kidney problems.
How much chromium picolinate can you consume in a day? Is 200mg the limit?, I am 184lbs, 5'7", just started taking the supplements. Not at the gym for full workouts yet, just working on abs at home.
500mg will work for you, not too much not too little..or if the pill you have are 200mg each, just take one in the morning and one in the afternoon, before meals..drink lots of water if you want faster and better results.
what is the purpose of chromium picolinate?, my mother tells me to take a pill every morning before breakfast, but i'm not certain what it is for. she's says it's used to turn the fat and sugars we intake into energy.
is this true? are there other purposes for this pill? does it work right away or do you have to take it religiously?
thanks!
It is a weightloss supplement. Good article on chromium picolinate:
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