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Chromium is an essential mineral, often lacking in daily diets, that supports healthy blood sugar levels, maintains insulin sensitivity, helps lessen carbohydrate cravings, increases lean-body mass and assists in weight management. A diet high in refined flour and refined sugar lacks essential nutrients, including chromium, and your body uses up its chromium reserves to help ize the sugar which can lead to a deficiency of chromium. Stress, strenuous exercise and pregnancy can all increase one’s chromium needs.

Thorne’s Chromium Picolinate provides chromium that is bound to picolinic acid, a natural mineral chelator made from the amino acid tryptophan, which aids in the absorption of chromium, so you get its full benefit.

This product has been third-party tested and certified to verify what’s in the package matches what’s on the label and to confirm it contains no unsafe levels of contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides, and microorganisms plus it has all natural fillers which is why we like this brand.

About this product

Chromium is a mineral that exists in several forms. Although one dangerous form can be found in industrial pollution, a safe form is found naturally in many foods.  It is considered to be essential, meaning that it must be obtained from the diet.  The absorption of chromium in the intestines is very low, with less than 2.5% of ingested chromium being absorption, however, chromium picolinate is an alternate form of chromium that is absorbed better.

Many foods contain the mineral chromium, but most contain very small amounts, 1-2 mcg per serving and deficiency is rare. The actual chromium content of a particular food can vary due to agricultural and manufacturing processes.  Meat, whole-grain products and some fruits and vegetables are considered good sources of chromium.

• Shellfish are a great source of chromium with mussels having the most at 128 mcg per 3.5 oz serving; oysters and shrimp are also good sources.
• Most vegetables have some chromium, but a cup of cooked broccoli provides 22 micrograms, quite impressive when compared to green beans at 2.2. micrograms and mashed potatoes at 2.7 micrograms per cup.
• Grapes are naturally rich in chromium; apples and oranges also contain good amounts of chromium.  And while fruit juice (especially grape) offers a concentrated source of chromium, many commercial brands have added sugars, flavorings and other ingredients that reduce the juice’s nutritional content.
• Brewer’s yeast is rich in many vitamins and minerals and is often mixed into water or smoothies.  It has 2-3 micrograms of chromium per tablespoon; however, brewer’s yeast can cause bloating and nausea in some people.
• You can find chromium in turkey and chicken breast, but lean beef contains the highest amount of chromium at 2 micrograms per 3 oz serving.
• Brazil nuts in your diet can help you meet your daily chromium needs along with providing other essential nutrients like selenium, health fats, and proteins. Just one nut has 1 mcg of chromium, but it’s recommended to eat no more than five Brazil nuts per day because selenium can be dangerous in high does.
• Wine, like its cousin grape juice, contains high levels of chromium; the amounts vary based on the wine type and origin.
• Whole grains such as oats and barley contain 0.5 mcg per cooked cup; the amount in whole wheat products can vary.

Overall consuming a balanced diet containing a variety of minimally processed foods can help you meet your chromium requirements.

Chromium picolinate plays a crucial role in insulin regulation. Insulin is a molecule, released by the pancreas, that is important in your body’s processing of carbs, fat and protein and it is responsible for controlling blood sugar levels.  Chromium is an essential part of a molecule called chromodulin which plays a role in transporting chromium in the body and interacts with the insulin receptor, improving insulin’s effect on glucose absorption and ism.   The cells become more responsive to insulin, allowing for a more efficient uptake of glucose into the cells where it can be used for energy and ensuring that blood sugar levels are kept within a health range.  Some studies have shown that chromium may help people with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, a condition that causes your body to respond poorly to insulin, by enhancing the action of insulin.  In  a 2007 study, 41 randomized controlled trials were reviewed and it was found that chromium supplementation significantly improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes, decreasing glycosylated hemoglobin levels by 0.6% and fasting glucose by 1.0 mmol/l.   The effectiveness of chromium picolinate can vary and may work better in people who are chromium deficient or have overall poor nutrition.

Chromium picolinate may be supportive of weight loss.  Several studies have examined whether chromium picolinate may be used in this capacity. In an 8-week study, 1,000 mcg/day of chromium picolinate reduced food intake, hunger and cravings in healthy overweight women. Other research examined people with binge-eating disorder and the researchers found that with doses of 600 – 1,000 mcg/day, appetite, cravings, and frequency of binge eating episodes were all reduced compared to a placebo.

Chromium picolinate can indirectly affect cortisol and thyroid hormone levels thorough the improvement of blood sugar control.  Balanced blood sugar levels can affect adrenal function, thus affecting cortisol and thyroid hormone production which, in turn, could have a positive effect for weight loss.

For Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), often linked to insulin resistance, studies found that by improving insulin sensitivity, cells can easier take in glucose which can reduce fasting blood sugar levels and improve glycemic control. Chronic inflammation is also linked to PCOS and chromium picolinate may help reduce inflammatory markers in the body. A 2016 study examined the effects of chromium picolinate on various ic variables, including information and found that chromium picolinate has anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce oxidative stress.  Chromium picolinate has also been shown to lower testosterone levels High levels of testosterone are common in women with PCOS and can lead to symptoms like irregular periods, acne and excessive hair growth.

Contents

1 capsule provides:

Chromium (as Chromium Picolinate) 500 mcg

Other Ingredients: Microcrystalline Cellulose, Hypromellose (derived from cellulose) capsule, Leucine, Silicon Dioxide

This product does not contain artificial flavoring or coloring, dairy, gluten, or soy.

Cautions

Always take natural remedies under the supervision of your health care provider. Chromium picolinate may affect blood sugar levels so use only under the guidance of a physician if taking diabetes medication such as insulin.

Chromium picolinate may interact with antacids, corticosteroid, beta-blockers, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAID), acid reflux and thyroid medications as chromium might boost the effects of these medications or the interactions may cause chromium to be poorly absorbed.

Do not take chromium without consulting your physician first if you have kidney or liver disease as chromium may increase the risk of kidney or liver damage.

Do not use chromium picolinate during pregnancy or lactation unless under the guidance of your physician as there is insufficient data about safe use during pregnancy.