Benefits of Chromium Picolinate

What is chromium picolinate? What are the benefits of chromium picolinate?

Mention the word chromium picolinate and its importance for human health and you might get bewildered faces. Talk about anything with the term chromium and many people will immediately think of car rims and fittings. However, chromium is indeed one of the minerals required by the human body though in very minute amounts. This chromium plus picolinic acid is in its most readily absorbable form and is nowadays available as a supplement.

The benefits of chromium picolinate are many. For instance, it has been found to enhance the ability of insulin to maintain the correct levels of glucose in the body. It has also been linked to an improvement of the body's ability to metabolize carbohydrates and fats. Because of these qualities, chromium picolinate is currently being marketed as a supplement that can be used to assist in weight loss by improving metabolism and even curbing one's appetite.

It is also used by some athletes to enhance the muscle building process. Other benefits of chromium picolinate include decreasing acne and skin blemishes, helping to overcome depression and acting as an energy booster.

As with any supplement, chromium picolinate is beneficial but only when taken within reasonable limits. Too much of a good thing can be harmful and chromium picolinate is no exception to that rule. So while there are many benefits of chromium picolinate, you should also be aware of the possible side effects.

First of all, you have to understand that there is still a dearth of substantial scientific information with regards to the risks of long term, excessive use of chromium picolinate. For example, while chromium picolinate has been found to cause fetal defects in experimental animals, there is not much evidence regarding similar effect in pregnant and breast-feeding women. However, in erring on the sound of caution, it is best that pregnant and breast feeding women avoid taking chromium picolinate unless they are otherwise advised by their physician.

While one of the noted benefits of chromium picolinate is its positive effect on patients suffering from depression, it has also been known to cause or aggravate mental illness in others. It can cause schizophrenia, behavioral changes, anxiety and even worsen depression especially if taken in excess. In that regard, anyone taking chromium picolinate must ensure that the people around them are aware so that any early signs of the negative side effects can be nipped in the bud in good time.

Another side effect from taking more than required doses of chromium picolinate is the possible damage to the kidneys and liver. This is especially true where the supplements are taken together with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug like Ibuprofen. Evidence of kidney damage will include irregular patterns of passing urine regardless of the amount of fluids you drink. Liver damage is often characterized by jaundiced skin, eyes and mucous membranes.

Other side effects that are commonly attributed to chromium picolinate include nausea, vomiting and headaches.

Anyone who intends to reap chromium picolinate benefits must also be intimately aware of the potential dangers of chromium picolinate so as to stop the administration at the earliest and seek medical attention.

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