Benefits of Chromium Picolinate

Type 2 diabetes is always preceded by insulin resistance and is characterized by high blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes can cause all sorts of chronic health problems such as blindness, obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and stroke.

Recently, some impressive results concerning the benefits of chromium picolinate in controlling diabetes were reported in 'Diabetes', an official publication of the American Diabetes Association.

The trial was conducted by folks at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) in conjunction with folks from the Beijing Medical University in Beijing, China.

Reporting on the benefits of chromium picolinate, proven during this trial, Jay Skyler, MD, former President of the American Diabetes Association and currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami Medical School said:

"The most compelling result of this trial is the magnitude of the glucose-lowering effect seen with chromium picolinate. This is comparable to- or better than-that seen with most medications approved for the treatment of type II diabetes in the U.S." Dr. Skyler continued: "Chromium picolinate supplementation is easy, effective and safe and ought to be a consideration for most patients with adult-onset diabetes."

As a matter of fact, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued what was called a "favorable response" to a health claim made for the benefits of chromium picolinate in helping to treat type 2 diabetes.

How do the Benefits of Chromium Picolinate Reduce My Risk of Cardiovascular Disease?

Insulin resistance and diabetes can cause all sorts of other problems, one of which is Cardiovascular Disease. The benefits of chromium picolinate have been proven successful in reducing one's risk in this area.

Harvard researchers recently presented new evidence at the at the American Heart Association's 44th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention. These folks have found a solid inverse relationship between one's level of chromium picolinate and one's risk for cardiovascular disease.

Their study, the Harvard Health Professional Follow-up Study, lasted for 8 years and measured the amount of chromium in the toenail clippings of over 1400 men between the ages of 40 and 75.

What Other Benefits of Chromium Picolinate Can I Expect?

The benefits of chromium picolinate have been found to result in fat loss. This is because chromium picolinate increases insulin sensitivity and aids your body in better utilizing fats and carbohydrates.

Now before you think you can just sit around, not get any exercise, and eat anything you want, think again.

But a study appearing in Current Therapeutic Research reports that if you watch what you eat and get a moderate level of exercise, 200 - 400 micrograms of chromium picolinate per day can help you shed unwanted body fat and improve your body composition.

Chromium Picolinate has also been show to help in controlling your cravings for carbohydrates!

Findings on the benefits of chromium picolinate recently presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 63rd Scientific Sessions, reported that by combining chromium picolinate and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), one could increase his muscle glycogen levels more so than either alone.

Muscle glycogen levels are an indicator of one's capacity to utilize stored glucose. Your capacity to utilize stored glucose aids in your physical strength and endurance.

OK, I See That There Are Benefits of Chromium Picolinate But Are There Any Dangers of Chromium Picolinate?

The answer is no. Numerous studies have shown chromium picolinate to be safe. If you would like to learn more, we have provided further info on our page titled Dangers of Chromium Picolinate.

What Do We Recommend?

Most research seems to point to the benefits of getting a healthy dose of chromium picolinate in your multivitamin. This insures that chromium picolinate and the other nutrients you are getting are working together synergistically.

We've seen lots of products out there and we recommend not wasting your time or money on the mass produced, mass marketed thrift store variety multivitamins.

Most of these skimp on the amount of nutrients in their formulations and some are are just downright low quality.

(To learn more about what makes a good multivitamin or what the Harvard School of Public Health or the Journal of the American Medical Association has to say about multivitamins, Click Here.)