Chromium Picolinate

Chromium picolinate is one of the forms of chromium supplements.  Normally, chromium nicotinate and chromium picolinate seem to be more easily absorbed than other chromium forms.  However, according to UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, some laboratory studies have found that chromium picolinate could damage genetic material in animal cells, which suggests chromium picolinate might cause cancer. It seems to be the combination of chromium and picolinate that’s the potential problem, not the chromium alone. Of course, what happens in a test tube or in lab animals might not happen in the human body. But the bottom line is that nobody knows whether chromium supplements, particularly in large doses over the long term, are safe or effective.

Claims, Benefits of Chromium Picolinate:

Builds muscle, prevents and treats diabetes, promotes weight loss.

General Information about Chromium Picolinate

Chromium is an essential trace mineral for the human body. It’s important in processing carbohydrates and fats, and it helps cells respond properly to insulin—the hormone, produced in the pancreas, that makes blood sugar available to the cells as our basic fuel. No one understands the exact role of chromium in all this, or even how much chromium is enough, but it doesn’t take too much imagination to come up with theories that chromium might promote weight loss, treat diabetes, and perhaps even help prevent heart disease or alleviate depression. Thus, chromium, especially in the form of chromium picolinate, has become a popular supplement, and its purveyors make many health claims—while downplaying any safety concerns.

Here’s a summary of the research of chromium picolinate in three categories:

Weight loss. Chromium picolinate supplements are often sold for weight loss, particularly for obese people who may be in danger of developing diabetes. Scientists have been studying the supplement’s potential role in weight control, but so far the most carefully conducted studies have shown no benefits.

Diabetes. Because chromium picolinate helps insulin do its job, it seems reasonable that it might help people with Type 2 diabetes or those at high risk for developing it. Low levels of chromium picolinate are characteristic of diabetes, though there’s no evidence that low chromium picolinate causes diabetes. Some studies have found that chromium picolinate supplementation in doses of 200 micrograms is beneficial, but others have not. One problem is that it’s difficult to diagnose chromium deficiency. One large clinical trial conducted in China found that chromium was helpful for those with diabetes—but the Chinese, including those with diabetes, are less likely to be obese than Americans, and their chromium levels were not evaluated at the start of the study. Clinical trials in the U.S. involving people with diabetes have so far produced no clear evidence of benefits from chromium picolinate supplements.

Heart disease. Studies of chromium picolinate supplements and blood cholesterol levels have shown no consistent benefit. If you were chromium-deficient, you might be able to reduce your LDL ("bad") cholesterol and raise your HDL ("good") cholesterol somewhat with chromium picolinate supplements. But even that is a big "might." And there are better ways to accomplish this, including diet, exercise, and cholesterol-lowering drugs.