Should everyone take chromium?
Q: Should everyone take between 3 to 5 micrograms per pound of body weight of Chromax, chromium picolinate per day?
A: I strongly believe that certain groups of people should supplement their diets with chromium. These include people who are 1) overweight and/or who crave carbs, 2) exhausted for no obvious reason, 3) who have any of the signs of insulin resistance, including a tendency to gain weight around the abdomen, high blood pressure, low HDL ("good") cholesterol, high triglyceries and elevated blood sugar, 4) people with a family history of diabetes or heart disease and 5) women who developed gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy). I believe it is dangerous for people in any of the above categories not to take chromium. They have much to gain and nothing to lose by taking chromium.
Should people who don't fall into the above categories take chromium? I'm not sure. A case can be made that most Americans should take chromium because of two facts. The USDA indicates that 85% of Americans are chromium deficient and chromium is extraordinarily safe. There may be much to gain from almost everyone taking chromium and little to lose.
2 Comments:
I keep hearing over and over that central obesity is a marker for insulin resistance. I have never had central obesity - I store fat as a lot of women do on the hips and thighs. But I am sure I must have insulin resistance, because I crave carbs more than anyone I know, I tire easily, etc. And diabetes runs in the family. How do you explain this?
Insulin resistance is a syndrome with variable signs and symptoms, just like the flu. Some people with flu have fever, cough and headache. Another with the same virus might have fever, diarrhea and muscle aches.
Similarly, some people with insulin resistance have abdominal obesity and high blood pressure and normal blood sugar. Another might not have abdominal obesity, igh blood pressure, and an elevated blood sugar
One way to make sure is to have your blood tested for insulin levels.
I hope this helps. Pleas let me know.
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