Chromax chromium picolinate supplements are for people who don't get enough chromium in their daily diet or who simply need more chromium, according to Drugs.Com. Chromium picolinate marketers may claim that the supplements help you lose weight, burn fat and build lean muscle mass. However, there's no scientific evidence to prove that Chromax chromium picolinate supplements, or any type of chromium supplement, helps with weight loss.
Chromium and You
Chromium is a vital trace mineral which, like other nutrients, has a specific function. Chromium helps you metabolize fats, carbohydrates and even insulin, which in turn regulates your blood glucose levels. Chromium is a nutrient you can get only from your diet; your body cannot produce it, states the National Institutes of Health, or NIH. Adolescent boys and men age 14 to 50 need 35mcg of chromium daily, while men 51 and older need 30mcg. Adolescent females between the ages of 14 and 18 need 24mcg of chromium a day, while those between the ages of 19 and 50 require 25mcg. Adult women age 51 and older should get 20mgc of chromium daily.
Chromax and Nutrition 21
Chromax chromium picolinate is manufactured by Nutrition 21, a company that researches, develops, patents and markets specific supplement ingredients used for therapeutic purposes. The company sells Chromax chromium picolinate to other supplement manufacturers for use in their own products. The Nutrition 21 website describes Chromax chromium picolinate as its "flagship ingredient," noting that it is used in many supplements for weight control and enhanced athletic performance. According to the company website, Nutrition 21 holds numerous exclusive patents involving chromium picolinate for hyperglycemia, high blood cholesterol, weight loss and other health concerns.
Weight Loss Claims
According to the University of Michigan Health System, or UMHS, there's fairly good scientific evidence to suggest that chromium supplements can help people with type 1 and 2 diabetes, hypoglycemia and high cholesterol. However, as a weight loss aid, there's very little evidence to suggest that chromium picolinate is beneficial. Chromium picolinate supplements have been touted as a weight loss aid since the 1990s, when they became a popular product among consumers. In 1996, the Federal Trade Commission filed suit against three major chromium picolinate supplement marketers who made unsubstantiated claims that there was scientific evidence to support using their products as weight loss aids.
Chromium Cautions
A Tolerable Upper Intake Level, or UL, for chromium has not been established due to the rarity of negative side effects that have been associated with this mineral, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, or ODS. However, the safety and efficacy of chromium supplements, which can contain between 50mcg to 200mcg of the mineral, haven't been thoroughly researched. The ODS indicates that chromium supplements can interact with numerous medications, specifically anacids, corticosteroids, H2 blockers, proton-pump inhibitors, beta-blockers, insulin, nicotinic acid, or niacin, prostaglandin inhibitors and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS.
Other Tips
Talk to your treating physician before taking Chromax chromium picolinate supplements or any type of chromium supplement, advises the ODS. Keep in mind that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies chromium picolinate supplements as dietary supplements, not drugs; Chromax chromium picolinate supplements cannot claim to treat or cure a specific medical condition. If you're concerned about getting enough chromium in your daily diet, eat a wide variety of foods. The NIH lists foods rich in chromium, which include true brewer's yeast, eggs, liver, beef, chicken, oysters, green peppers, wheat germ, apples, bananas and spinach.
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