Available Articles: |
 Back
to Main |
CHROMIUM
Remember a few years ago when chromium was pitched as a "miracle mineral" that would melt away heavy thighs? Okay, maybe those claims were a wee bit over the top. But if you've been told to watch out for diabetes, you might take a gamble on this mineral; it shows promise in thwarting the condition.
Chromium is necessary to the work of the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar levels. "It makes insulin more efficient," says Richard Anderson, a biochemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's human nutrition research center in Beltsville, Maryland. Anderson says 20 years of studies have convinced him that most people with diabetes should take chromium.
Plenty of experts remain skeptical; the American Diabetes Association doesn't recommend supplements. Still, chromium appears to be the safest of all the trace elements, so taking a supplement won't hurt you.
The bottom line:
Data on the mineral is "interesting and provocative," according to a spokesperson for the ADA. Anderson advises diabetics to take 200 to 300 mcg twice a day.
|
|
|
