Chromium

Summary and Conclusion: Chromium

• The human body needs small amounts of chromium, and most people get enough in their regular diet and do not require dietary supplements. Chromium exists in many natural foods including meats, potatoes (especially the skins), cheeses, molasses, spices, whole-grain breads and cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Chromium and weight loss: Chromium may produced a small amount of weight loss over placebo according to a meta-analysis but produced adverse effects such as vertigo, headache, diarrhea and hives (2).

• A recent randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial on 80 overweight adults taking chromium picolinate at a dose of 1000 mcg for 24 weeks did not see any significant change in body mass index at 12 weeks and at 24 weeks (3).