Chromium Picolinate May Ease Hunger, Appetite

Monday, February 16, 2009 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer
Tags: chromium, health news, Natural News

(NaturalNews) A daily supplement of chromium picolinate can reduce sensations of hunger, fat cravings and food intake in the overweight, according to a study conducted by researchers from Louisiana State University (LSU) and the University of Florida, and published in the journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine whether chromium picolinate affects food intake in humans," the researchers wrote.

Researchers assigned 42 healthy, non-smoking, overweight women with carbohydrate cravings to take either a 1,000 microgram chromium picolinate supplement or a placebo once per day. The average participant was 33.2 years old, with a body mass index of 31.3 kilograms per square meter. Researchers measured the women's food intake during breakfast, lunch and dinner at the beginning of the study, after one week and after eight weeks.

All study participants reported decreased cravings for carbohydrates, sweets, fast food and high-fat food, with the participants taking chromium picolinate experiencing a greater decrease than those taking a placebo. Hunger levels and food intake were also significantly decreased: while those taking a placebo decreased their food intake by only 8 percent, those taking chromium picolinate reduced it by 25 percent. In addition, those taking the chromium supplement lost an average of 0.5 kilograms (1.1 pounds) over the course of the study, while those taking a placebo gained an equivalent amount.

The study was funded by the Health and Performance Enhancement Division of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at LSU.

The body needs trace amounts of chromium for healthy functioning, particularly in metabolizing carbohydrates, protein and fat. The nutrient is found in whole grains, brewer's yeast, and certain animal products such as cheese, lean meats or pork kidney.

The body's ability to absorb chromium is low, however, which has led researchers to look for more bioavailable forms of the nutrient. Numerous studies have suggested that chromium picolinate might be one such form.

Sources for this story include: www.foodnavigator-usa.com.