Chromium is one mineral that many supplement companies make a huge profit on. Why? Because research has shown that supplementing with chromium can aid in weight loss and everyone wants to lose weight these days! This is probably due to its enhancement effect that it has on insulin in regards to glucose utilization.
No prescription necessary
Chromium can be found and derived from natural food sources without the need for a prescription. Foods such as beef, Apples, eggs, tomatoes, chicken, molasses, and cheese are good sources of chromium.
What are the benefits of chromium?
Chromium helps glucose to be properly metabolized. It also helps insulin regulate your blood sugar. You will find that chromium helps synthesize protein within the body. And most importantly for diabetics, chromium has been shown to help decrease the requirements for insulin and will improve the tolerance of glucose. However, these findings do not stand to work with every diabetic patient.
As stated earlier, chromium is widely known as a weight-loss supplement. In addition to its effect on reducing body fat, it may also help increase lean muscle tissue when supplemented with a healthy diet and exercise program. Last but not least, chromium has shown signs that it may help lower your body's total cholesterol levels and LDL levels.
Can a person become deficient in chromium and if so, what are the signs?
Yes, it is entirely possible for a person to become deficient in chromium. However, because this mineral is found in so many food sources, it is an extremely rare occurrence that a person becomes ill from a chromium deficiency. But that's not to say that some people will not be affected.
Here are a few signs of chromium deficiency: possible numbness in the arms and legs, signs that glucose, protein, and fat and the body is being metabolized at a slower rate, and the reduction in tissue sensitivity of glucose.
Can chromium become toxic at high levels?
Yes, there is a such thing as chromium toxicity. However, it is highly unlikely that this will come from eating too many foods that are abundant with chromium. What a person becomes toxic from an over dosage of chromium, it is almost always the result of over exposure of metals and other chemical properties within the environment. For example, a person can become toxic with chromium from too much exposure to tanning beds, handling chemical items such as furniture polishing, oil, metal cleaners, or working in an environment that handles cement, steel production, or glass product making.
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