A common diet myth, many people take chromium supplements as a weight loss aid – but do they really work? And what do they do to your body in the meantime? Diabetics with chromium deficiencies take this supplement as a way of improving their tolerance to glucose slightly, but if you don’t suffer with this disease, chromium won’t help you shift the pounds, nor will it aid your body in any way.
A trace mineral, chromium promotes the effect of insulin in the body, which encourages fat loss. It is for this reason that chromium gained a name for itself as a weight loss supplement. In the 1950’s, this mineral was even referred to by scientists as the ‘glucose tolerance factor’ for its ability to improve the glucose tolerance in animals. However, despite these studies, chromium isn’t actually any good for humans if they are already at chromium capacity – the suggested intake of this mineral in adult women is 25 micrograms.
Supplements can hold between 200 and 1000 micrograms of chromium which is far more than an adult requires, but overloading the body doesn’t help the body to burn or lose fat in any way. In 2007, a study analysed the impact of chromium on the body in terms of weight loss and found that there was no evidence to support the claims. Further studies have been carried out to determine whether varying levels of the supplement can aid weight loss, but none have offered any hope that taking chromium can help your body to burn fat. A better regime is to eat a balanced diet that’s rich in the various nutrients your body needs, lower your intake of fat, salt and sugar, and take part in regular physical activity. Not only will this help you to lose weight, but it will also boost your vitality and wellbeing.
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