chromium?

BossyGirl

Does anyone take a chromium suppliment? Does it help with weight loss/ muscle gain/ help control appitite and over eating? I came across it on a web page that gives tips on how to stop over eating and it says to take like 600mg a day of the chromium, and it will help with the cravings and such....

vhuber

Yes it does help stop craving for sugar! My dr. prescribed liquid chromium to me for the intense sugar cravings! You can buy the "good" kind at health food stores!

Azdak

You just have to make sure it doesn't give you a big bumper.......:laugh:



(or is that joke too old?)

Azdak

Like almost all supplements, the "benefits" of chromium supplementation have been extrapolated from studies involving individuals with either insufficient levels of chromium or specific medical issues and projected on to the general public.

This is a common practice which gives a veneer of "scientific proof" without having to actually do any real research, and is possible because their is little or no regulation of the supplement industry.

If one is chromium deficient, or has impaired glucose tolerance, some studies have shown a benefit from chromium supplementation. Otherwise, like in almost every case, taking a supplement that increases levels over the necessary minimums has no effect.

Chromium supplementation was a BIG fad about 15-20 years ago. Like most supplement fads, it faded away when people soon realized it was ineffective.

Like almost all vitamins and minerals, recommended levels are easily obtainable by following a balanced diet of whole foods. For someone following a calorie-restricted diet, there probably isn't any disadvantage to taking a general multivitamin -- it's not that expensive and there are probably no side effects--but there is little reason for anyone to be spending significant $$ on supplements without a specific medical justification.