| Benefits: Promotes glucose metabolism. May relieve atherosclerosis and diabetes.
Good food sources: Brewer's yeast, broccoli, ham, grape juice, red and white meats, seafoods, eggs, fresh fruit.
Cautions: Consult doctor if you have: diabetes, lung, liver, or kidney disease.
Substance interactions: May decrease amount of insulin needed to treat diabetes.
Signs of toxicity: Very low toxicity.
* Chromium picolinate is the form which is the most bioavailable.
Avoid chromium chloride, which is found in some supplements. It
is mostly unabsorbable.
* Enhances the effect of insulin. It helps to regulate blood sugar,
may improve serum lipid profiles, and may help the body burn fat.
Decreases insulin requirements and improves glucose tolerance of
some people with maturity-onset diabetes.
* Since chromium helps insulin work better, it may raise blood
sugar levels in people with low blood sugar. It may also lower
levels in people with high blood sugar.
* It seems to help raise HDL cholesterol (the good kind) levels
in the body.
* Sweets drain the body's supply of chromium. Complex carbohydrates (i.e. pastas, potatoes) help preserve this mineral.
* Many form of chromium are from brewer's yeast, so those with candida or with a yeast allergy should avoid yeast sources of chromium.
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