Content
Chromium picolinate is a nutritional supplement composed of picolinic acid and chromium, being indicated mainly for people with diabetes or insulin resistance, as it helps to regulate the levels of glucose and insulin in the blood.
This supplement can be purchased in capsule form, at the pharmacy, health food stores or online stores, and should be used on the recommendation of a nutritionist or doctor, who will indicate how this supplement should be consumed.
What is it for
Chromium picolinate is indicated in case of a deficiency of chromium in the body. However, some studies have shown that this supplement could also have several other health benefits, and can be used to:
- Help regulate blood sugar, as it increases sensitivity to insulin, a hormone responsible for controlling blood glucose, and therefore could have benefits for people who have diabetes and insulin resistance;
- Favor weight loss, as it can also interfere with the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. However, the results on this benefit are not yet conclusive, as they indicate that the weight loss was not significant;
- Maintain heart health, as it has been shown in some studies that chromium picolinate helps to regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels, decreasing the risk of atheromatous plaque formation and, consequently, the risk of developing heart disease, especially in diabetic people. Despite this, this mechanism is still not entirely clear;
- Exercise antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, especially in people with hyperinsulinemia or diabetes;
- Decrease hunger and favor weight loss, as a study has shown that chromium picolinate supplementation could help decrease binge eating, because it may be involved in the synthesis of serotonin and in the improvement of insulin activity.
Due to the fact that chromium picolinate is related to the synthesis of serotonin, it can also interfere with dopamine and, therefore, some studies indicate that this supplement may have antidepressant and anxiolytic action.
However, it is important to mention that further studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of this nutritional supplement in all aspects mentioned above.
How to take
The use of chromium picolinate should be done according to the recommendation of the doctor or nutritionist, but it usually consists of the ingestion of 1 capsule a day before one of the main meals, and the duration of the treatment should be indicated by the health professional.
Some scientific studies indicate that the duration of treatment depends on the purpose of using the supplement, and can vary between 4 weeks and 6 months. The dose used is also variable and can be indicated from 25 to 1000 mcg / day.
However, it is recommended that the daily dose of chromium should be between 50 to 300 mcg, however in the case of athletes, people who are overweight or obese, or when the supplement is used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides, it can be recommended increasing the dose to 100 to 700 mcg per day for about 6 weeks.
Possible side effects
Side effects that may occur during treatment are headache, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, liver problems and anemia. However, this supplement is in most cases well tolerated, and the occurrence of effective collaterals is uncommon.
It is important for diabetic people to talk to their doctor before using this supplement, as it may be necessary to adjust the dose of the hypoglycemic agent, and in these cases, it is also necessary to control blood glucose levels during the period of use of the supplement, in order to avoid hypoglycemic attacks.
Contraindications
Chromium picolinate is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the formula, people with kidney failure or any serious illness, children under 12, pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding, unless recommended by the doctor.