Posted by Renée Leonard-Stainton on 19 March 2014 - 10:23am
Image of < >
Chromium Picolinate for Healthy Weight
We know that eating a healthy diet, applying the principles of moderation and sticking to a regular exercise routine all go a long way in helping to keep our weight in check. But sometimes, we just need a helping hand to reach our goal weight. There are many so-called ‘miraculous’ diet products out there on the market, and it is important make educated choices as to what is actually worth your money and time.
We know that eating a healthy diet, applying the principles of moderation and sticking to a regular exercise routine all go a long way in helping to keep our weight in check. But sometimes, we just need a helping hand to reach our goal weight. There are many so-called ‘miraculous’ diet products out there on the market, and it is important make educated choices as to what is actually worth your money and time.
Recent posts by Renée Leonard-Stainton
Conscious Beauty Edit for Plastic Free July
Over the past year and a half, I've been on... (read more)
Green Travel Tips - Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Travel
Thank you to New-Zealand based freelance... (read more)
Chromium (without picolinate) is a natural mineral with trace amounts found in many foods such as meat, poultry, fish, molasses and whole-grain breads. Chromium by itself is not optimally absorbed effectively in the body by all of us, particularly those with diets high in sugar and processed foods. In supplement form, chromium is paired with acidic picolinate to help aid the body's ability to absorb the mineral. It is this combined form that is found on today’s diet market.
Recent research has examined the role chromium can play in helping to reduce food intake, suppress hunger levels, minimise food cravings and consequently help people lose undesired weight. The research found that overweight women taking chromium supplements reduced their total food intake by 25 per cent. The women in this study (all of whom had self-confessed carbohydrate cravings) received a daily supplement containing 1,000µg of chromium picolinate. They reported significantly lower hunger levels and reduced cravings for high-fat foods, and also lost an average of 0.5 kg over the course of the eight-week study.
So, how exactly does chromium work in our body and why is it important to have optimum levels? Firstly, chromium helps maintain glucose homeostasis (balance) by enhancing the activity of the hormone insulin in the body. When chromium is lacking, a diabetes-like condition may develop with elevated blood glucose and impaired glucose intolerance, insulin response and glucagon response. This can all lead to undesired weight gain.
To understand how chromium picolinate works in your body, it’s first important to comprehend how the body produces insulin. Every time we eat, our bodies release insulin. Insulin originates in our pancreas and plays a part in supplying our body with glucose, something our cells require in order to function. Like fuel is to cars, glucose is to our cells.
Chromium has been shown to help insulin carry glucose to the body's cells. It's believed that chromium then has a role in overseeing the breakdown of fat and glucose. Through blood sugar balancing, chromium picolinate may also help with weight loss by lessening one’s appetite and craving for certain foods, in addition to building lean muscle mass.
Some common symptoms that could indicate a chromium deficiency – and the need to supplement – include; obesity, mood swings (associated with rapid and large swings in blood glucose levels) and fatigue. However, I recommend consulting your doctor or naturopath for a full diagnosis and personalised supplement recommendations.
Live well, live long, live naturally
Renée x