Chromium Supplements - Effect of chromium supplements on weight loss and their safety
Chromium is a mineral which plays a highly important role in human diet and health - insufficient chromium dietary intake may result in a disorder known as chromium deficiency which can interfere the body’s proper use of sugars and lead to nerve problems. However, you are probably more interested in chromium’s benefits for weight loss than in its importance for health and risks of its deficiency.
The manufacturers of chromium supplements - chromium picolinate claim it reduces body fat and increases muscle mass although scientific studies did not verify any significant benefits for weight loss nor for muscle growth. On the other hand some researches suggest it might be helpful in increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels and reducing the risk of heart attack, while chromium is also known to enhance insulin action and glucose metabolism which might make it very helpful for treatment of diabetes. However, so far the results of clinical studies did not demonstrate any significant benefits of chromium supplements for diabetes conclusively.
Scientific studies concerning effect of chromium supplements on weight loss have shown that it is very unlikely to lose weight with chromium supplements as a diet aid. Chromium supplements are relatively safe and no side effects or overdose have been reported so far although long-term effects remain unknown. Health expert commonly recommend use of chromium supplement only to treat and prevent chromium deficiency. If you decide to use chromium supplement as a weight aid anyway you are highly recommended to carefully read and follow the instructions and precautions on the label.