Chromium What is it used for?
Chromium is a mineral. It is called an “essential trace element” because tiny amounts are necessary for human health according to WebMD. (1)
It is found in foods like Brewer’s yeast, potatoes (mainly in the skin), cheese and meats but also fruits and vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, apples, pears, bananas, egg yolk, romaine lettuce and nuts, other foods also contain this mineral.
Using food sources for your daily nutritional needs should be your preferred method to attain a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.
In supplements, it is often present as Chromium Picolinate, which is an amino acid complex that increases the absorption in the digestive tract.
Proven Health Benefits of Chromium
- it helps to metabolise macronutrients
- Also, It helps to maintain blood glucose levels
- It decreases sweet Cravings
- Maintains healthy Energy Levels
What are the benefits?
1) it helps to metabolise macronutrients
It is essential for the breakdown and usage of macronutrients like Protein, Carbohydrates and Fats. Protein helps to maintain muscle and muscle growth; Chromium will help with this process.
2) It decreases sweet Cravings
It assists with the support of healthy blood glucose levels which could help to minimise sweet Cravings.
3) Chromium may help to maintain blood glucose levels
When blood glucose levels drop, the body triggers the desire to eats sugary foods. Referred to as ‘sugar cravings’ or ‘sweet tooth’. It could help to prevent this by helping to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.
A study was carried out on 180 men and women with type 2 diabetes, who were divided into 3 groups for comparisons, and it was reported:
“that supplemental chromium had significant beneficial effects on HbA1c, glucose, insulin, and cholesterol variables in subjects with type 2 diabetes” (2).
A healthy intake of chromium may help to reduce insulin and glucose levels
4) Maintains healthy Energy Levels
It helps to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Blood sugar is used as an energy source by the body, so if it contributes to its maintenance, it will result in better regulation of energy levels. You may notice that after eating sweet foods that you feel tired and low in energy, this may be due to a change in blood sugar levels.
Chromium synergy and works well with
- Vitamin B3 – for better absorption of Chromium
- Vitamin C – Vitamin C could also help increase the absorption.
- Cinnamon – Helps with balancing sugar levels
- L-Carnitine – could help with weight loss by converting fat into lean muscle.
Some things to consider
If you have diabetes, you should speak to your Doctor before taking a Chromium supplement due to the effect it has on blood sugar
Although it is present in many grains and cereal, large quantities are lost through processing and refining
How much do I need?
According to the UK National Health Service around 25mcg, a day should be enough for adults (3). Although it is worth noting that according to WebMD experts say that “there is no recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for chromium. Instead, experts came up with a minimum amount of chromium that people should get.” Table 1 is also a guide on the adequate daily intake of Chromium as found on WebMD. (4)
Adequate Intakes (AI) of Chromium |
|
| Women, aged 19-50 | 25 mcg/day |
| Women, aged 50 and older | 20 mcg/day |
| Men, aged 19-50 | 35 mcg/day |
| Men, aged 50 and over | 30 mcg/day |
Unless advised by your dietician or doctor based on your health condition, you should always first consider a healthy balanced diet before considering further supplementation.
Table 2: From the US National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements – the following are the top selected food sources of chromium (5)
| Food | Chromium (mcg) |
|---|---|
| Broccoli, ½ cup | 11 |
| Grape juice, 1 cup | 8 |
| English muffin, whole wheat, 1 | 4 |
| Potatoes, mashed, 1 cup | 3 |
| Garlic, dried, 1 teaspoon | 3 |
| Basil, dried, 1 tablespoon | 2 |
| Beef cubes, 3 ounces | 2 |
| Orange juice, 1 cup | 2 |
| Turkey breast, 3 ounces | 2 |
| Whole wheat bread, 2 slices | 2 |
| Red wine, 5 ounces | 1–13 |
| Apple, unpeeled, 1 medium | 1 |
| Banana, 1 medium | 1 |
| Green beans, ½ cup | 1 |
Resources:
Last accessed online 18/04/2020
- https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-932-chromium.aspx?
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9356027activeingredientid=932&activeingredientname=chromium
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/others/#chromium
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-chromium#1
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Chromium-HealthProfessional/
