no effect on weight or blood sugar levels, but did have a small benefit in improving lipid levels and insulin resistance.
Most people are getting a sufficient amount of chromium from their diet, according to a study published in the Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. So for most people, supplemental chromium is unnecessary.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows only the following health claim for chromium picolinate dietary supplements:
“One small study suggests that chromium picolinate may reduce the risk of insulin resistance, and therefore possibly may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. FDA concludes, however, that the existence of such a relationship between chromium picolinate and either insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes is highly uncertain,” the agency says.
Some side effects
Chromium from food is generally considered safe, but high-dose supplements can have consequences, according to Mount Sinai.
Side effects can include reducing the sugar-lowering effect of insulin, stomach irritation, itching and reddening of the skin. Fast or irregular heart rhythms, liver problems and kidney damage have also been reported.
People with liver or kidney problems, or those with anemia, should not use chromium without talking to their doctors.
Because of these potential side effects and interactions with medications, you should take