Chromium, Fat Loss & Weight Control
Although chromium has mainly been studied for improving blood sugar control in people with diabetes, recent evidence suggests that chromium may also help reduce body fat, probably through its effects on insulin.
Study Shows Chromium Helps Weight Loss
A 3-month double-blind study of 122 moderately overweight people found that 400 mcg of chromium daily resulted in an average loss of 6.2 pounds of body fat, as opposed to 3.4 pounds in the placebo group. There was no loss of lean body mass. These results suggest that chromium can help you lose fat without losing muscle.
Other Studies Show Chromium Has No Effect on Weight Loss
However, six smaller double-blind placebo-controlled studies found chromium picolinate supplements produced no weight loss or change in lean body mass. These conflicting results may be due to differences in study size, the dosage of chromium, and the individuals enrolled.
Dangers of Chromium Overdose for Weight Loss
At recommended doses, chromium is safe. However, chromium is a heavy metal that might conceivably build up and cause problems if taken to excess. There have been a few reports of kidney damage in people who took a relatively high dosage of chromium: 1,200 mcg or more daily for several months.
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