A form of the mineral chromium known as picolinate can be obtained through dietary supplements as an additional source of the element chromium.
It is claimed that several of these products can be used as dietary supplements to increase metabolism and facilitate weight loss.
Although the treatment appears safe and effective, many individuals are concerned about its long-term effectiveness and side effects.
Chromium picolinate supplementation offers a wide range of potential benefits, which we will discuss in this article and will assist you in deciding whether or not it is beneficial to experiment with it.
What is Chromium Picolinate?
In terms of mineral forms, chromium can be found in a wide range of various configurations. Many foods include a naturally occurring, harmless variation of a chemical compound found in industrial pollution.
For the most part, we are all aware that one must receive the stable form of trivalent chromium compounds (chromium chloride, chromium nicotinate, and chromium picolinate) through food to be regarded as necessary for human health to be considered.
However, some specialists have questioned whether or not this mineral is required, even though it serves a crucial role in the body and is significant.
Chromodulin, an enzyme that aids insulin in performing its functions in the body, is an excellent example of this.
Diabetes is caused by the overproduction of insulin, a chemical generated by the pancreas that is utilized by the body to break down carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.
Chromium is only absorbed in tiny amounts through the intestines; less than 2.5 percent of what is consumed is interested in this method.
An alternative type of chrome (chromium picolinate) is more absorbable than the first chrome type (chromium chloride). As a result, you’ll generally find it in dietary supplements such as vitamin D.
Picolinic acid is a mineral compound in which the mineral chromium is chemically bonded to three mineral molecules in a chromium-chromium bonding structure.
Chromium is a trace mineral found in trim levels in a range of foods, including nuts and seeds, in low concentrations. It is important to note that chromium is not a trace mineral. As previously said, it affects the insulin hormone, which affects the metabolism of carbohydrates and lipids. Among the several forms of chromium available in dietary supplement formulations, picolinate is the most common.
A possible benefit is that chromium picolinate supplementation can reduce blood glucose levels.
The hormone insulin plays a crucial role in directing the body to transport glucose from your bloodstream into your cells for as long as you are in good health.
Patients with type 2 diabetes have a distortion in the body’s normal response to insulin, resulting in increase blood sugar levels and a variety of medical conditions over time.
Some studies have revealed that chromium picolinate supplementation can help people with diabetes better manage their blood glucose levels, beneficial for their overall health.
According to one study, supplemental chromium improve glucose levels. Taking 200 grams of chromium picolinate every day for 16 weeks helped lower blood sugar and insulin levels while enhancing the body’s responsiveness to insulin.
Individuals who have high blood sugar and low insulin sensitivity, according to their findings, may benefit more from chromium picolinate supplementation than those who have regular blood sugar and insulin sensitivity.
According to another significant study involving over 62,000 persons, those who received chromium picolinate dietary supplements were 27 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who did not drink chromium supplements.
According to the results of other studies, including those involving type 2 diabetes who got chromium picolinate supplementation for three or more months, they did not experience any improvement in their blood sugar levels.
A second study, conducted on obese adults who did not have diabetes, discovered that taking 1,000 g of chromium picolinate per day did not affect the body’s response to insulin in the slightest.
According to the findings of a comprehensive study including 425 healthy participants, taking chromium supplements did not influence blood sugar or insulin levels.
Taking chromium supplements has been shown to benefit persons with diabetes in general, though not in every scenario, as previously said.
Chromium supplements may benefit diabetic individuals because they can boost the body’s sensitivity to insulin while simultaneously lowering blood sugar levels. However, the results have been inconsistent, and similar advantages have not been consistently detected in people who do not have high blood glucose levels.
Chromium picolinate has been demonstrated to help people lose weight by reducing their hunger and cravings.
Many people who have attempted to lose weight and keep it off are familiar with the sensations of hunger and severe food cravings that accompany losing weight and keeping it off.
Because of this, many people are interested in foods, supplements, or drugs that may be able to assist them in overcoming their cravings and losing weight.
Many studies have been done to assess whether chromium picolinate could be advantageous in this capacity.
Eight weeks after starting the study, healthy overweight women who ingested 1,000 micrograms of chromium supplements per day (in the form of chromium picolinate) reduced their food consumption, appetite, and food cravings.
One of the effects of chromium is on the brain. Specialists believe that these symptoms may have manifested due to these impacts.
In addition, patients suffering from binge-eating disorders or depression have been the subject of other studies. It is believed that these individuals will benefit the most from lessening cravings or hunger.
Throughout an eight-week study, 113 people with depression were randomly assigned to receive either 600 g/day of chromium supplements in the form of chromium picolinate supplements or a placebo, according to the study results.
After administering chromium picolinate supplements in conjunction with a placebo, the researchers discovered that you significantly reduced appetite and cravings.
A further small study discovered that those suffering from binge-eating disorder might benefit from regular exercise.
There may have been a reduction in binge-eating episodes and the emergence of depression symptoms after receiving 600 to 1,000 mg/day of the medication.
Despite a lack of clear evidence, some studies have suggested that consuming 600 to 1,000 mg/day of chromium picolinate may help some people reduce hunger, cravings, and binge-eating behaviors.
Does Chromium Picolinate Assist You in Losing Weight?
They undertook various studies following the discovery of chromium’s role in metabolic activities and possible effects on eating behavior to identify whether it is an effective weight-loss tool.
To acquire a complete picture of whether or not this mineral is helpful for reduction of excess body fat, one significant analysis looked at nine distinct trials with 622 overweight or obese participants.
The subjects in these studies were administered chromium picolinate in doses ranging from 100 to 1,000 g/day, depending on the survey.
This study revealed that taking chromium picolinate for 12 to 16 weeks resulted in relatively small levels of weight loss (2.4 pounds or 1.1 kg) in overweight and obese adults who were overweight or obese in the first place.
On the other hand, researchers concluded that the impact of such a significant reduction in body fat was questionable and that the supplement’s value was still up for debate despite their findings.
Following up on the previous study, another investigation of the available literature on chromium picolinate and weight loss concluded identical to the first.
Researchers discovered that using chromium supplements for 8 to 26 weeks resulted in a reduction of body fat, approximately only 1.1 pounds, after reviewing 11 independent trials, according to the results of their investigation (0.5 kg).
According to more than a dozen prior studies conducted on healthy adults, this supplement has no effect on body composition (body fat and lean mass), even when taken in conjunction with physical exercise.
Current research suggests that chromium picolinate is unsuccessful in encouraging significant reduction in body fat among those who are overweight or obese, and the literature supports this conclusion. Even when combined with exercise, it appears to be even less effective in persons of average or above-average weight, according to the findings.
Sources of Nutrition of Chromium
Indeed, the mineral chrome picolinate is widely found in dietary supplements. However, the mineral chromium is also present in many foods.
It is crucial to remember, however, that the manufacturing and agricultural processes all impact the quantity of chromium present in foods and beverages.
As a result, the actual chromium concentration of a particular item may vary, and there is currently no reliable database of the chromium content of foods accessible. Even though this mineral is present in a range of foods, the bulk of them contains only minimal amounts (1–2 g per serving) of the mineral in their composition.
In the United States, the recommended dietary reference intake (DRI) for chromium is 35 micrograms (g) per day for adult men and 25 micrograms per day for adult females, respectively.
Women should consume 20 g per day after reaching the age of 50, whereas males should consume 30 g per day after 50. This one represents a slight decline in consumption.
They developed these recommendations based on predictions of average intakes in specific populations rather than actual data is critical to note. As a result of this, these individuals are exceedingly circumspect.
Although there is some confusion about the exact chromium content of most foods, and even though the provisional dietary guidelines have not been finalized, chromium deficiency appears to be pretty unusual.
According to most nutrition experts, chromium can be found in a variety of foods, including meat, whole-grain products, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
According to some studies, broccoli includes a considerable quantity of chromium, with approximately 11 g per 1/2 cup, although apples and oranges may contain about 6 g per serving, according to other research.
To avoid chromium deficiency, eat a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of less processed foods.
Chromium concentration in meals and the amount of this mineral you should consume daily are both up for debate. On the other hand, chromium may be found in tiny amounts in a wide variety of meals, and chromium deficiency is very uncommon.
Chromium Supplements: Should You Take Them?
Many people have questioned whether supplementing with additional chromium is a sensible health decision in light of the vital roles played by the element in the body.
Concerning chromium picolinate, there is no upper limit to what can be done.
A lot of research has looked into the benefits of chromium picolinate on blood sugar management and weight loss, and the results have been promising.
Even though it is essential to consider the potential advantages of a given nutrient, it is also vital to consider the potential hazards of ingesting an excessive amount of that nutrient.
Concerning specific nutrients, the National Academy of Medicine regularly establishes an appropriate upper intake amount that should be followed (UL). Increased exposure may result in toxicity or other health consequences.
However, due to the limited quantity of evidence currently available, no upper limit of tolerance for chromium picolinate exposure has been established.
Chromium Picolinate is a safe supplement that one can take daily.
Experts have widespread worry about the safety of chromium picolinate, a popular form of mineral that is included in supplements, despite the absence of a set upper limit for its intake (UL).
Because of how chromium picolinate is metabolized in the body, it may produce potentially hazardous compounds known as hydroxyl radicals.
Many issues could occur due to these substances causing damage to your genetic material (DNA).
While picolinate chromium supplements are the most generally used form of chromium, it appears that only when this form of chromium supplement is utilized do the adverse effects in the body manifest themselves.
Furthermore, a case study found that a woman who took 1,200 to 2,400 g/day of the supplement chromium picolinate to lose weight experienced severe kidney problems due to the prescription.
There have also been a few other isolated health issues associated with the consumption of these dietary supplements, which has yet to be confirmed.
The decision as to whether or not it is worthwhile to proceed
Beyond posing potential safety problems, chronic supplements may interact with some prescriptions, such as beta-blockers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs).
On the other hand, adverse symptoms associated with high chromium picolinate levels are infrequent.
As a result of the fact that many trials using chromium supplements have not recorded whether or not any negative effects occurred, it is possible that a portion of this phenomenon can be attributed to this.
Because of the unknown benefits and potential health hazards associated with chromium picolinate, it has been recommended not to be used as dietary supplements on a broad scale.
It is recommended that you contact your healthcare practitioner before taking this dietary supplement to reduce unwanted side effects or drug interactions.
According to current research, chromium intake from food is not related to any known health hazards at any particular time. Although there is very little information on the chromium picolinate, it may have detrimental effects on human health when consumed in high doses.
Bottom-line
Chromium picolinate is a form of chromium commonly found in dietary supplements, such as multivitamins.
According to some researchers, it may be advantageous for persons with high blood glucose level since it can increase the body’s response to insulin while also lowering blood sugar levels. Additionally, it has the potential to aid in the reduction of hunger, cravings, and binge eating.
On the other hand, it does not appear that chromium picolinate is beneficial in inducing significant reduction in body fat.
Although chromium deficiency appears to be a rare occurrence, there is some concern that consuming the picolinate form of chromium may negatively affect your health.
In general, chromium picolinate intake, one of the trivalent chromium compounds, is not recommended for most of the population because it is not beneficial. You should get the advice of a healthcare practitioner who is familiar with the risks and benefits of taking it before proceeding with even with just acute chromium supplementation.
References:
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/chromium-picolinate
- https://www.peacehealth.org/medical-topics/id/hn-3910004
- https://www.reliasmedia.com/articles/69160-chromium-supplementation-for-weight-loss
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chromium-picolinate
- https://vitagene.com/blog/chromium-for-weight-loss/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206698/
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/chromium-picolinate-side-effects-89554
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/286228-chromium-picolinate-dosage-for-weight-loss/
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288177
- https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2019/01/02/New-report-supports-chromium-picolinate-s-weight-management-benefits
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-chromium
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9763876/
