Chromium Picolinate for Fat Loss

Chromium picolinate may help control appetite and carb cravings.

• Enhanced insulin function. Chromium has been suggested to improve insulin resistance and help regulate blood glucose.
• Reduced food intake. Chromium picolinate may be able to influence neurotransmitters and insulin-related brain systems that control appetite and food cravings.

Overview

Chromium picolinate (CrPic) is a formulation of the trace mineral chromium used in dietary supplements. Chromium helps the function of insulin, a hormone which plays a critical role in human metabolism. Chromium is found in many foods, with good sources including brewer’s yeast, beer, whole grains, cheese, liver, and meat.¹

Chromium picolinate (CrPic) supplements are purported to promote glucose metabolism, help with diabetes, and result in reduced carbohydrate cravings, appetite, and subsequent weight loss. CrPic supplements have even been claimed to improve lean muscle mass.²

However, clinical research has not found much evidence to support any of these claims.

How Chromium Picolinate Might Help Weight Loss

The precise molecular mechanism of chromium picolinate on metabolism and body composition remains unclear. However, researchers have suggested several possibilities.

Chromodulin’s interaction with the insulin receptor

Low-molecular-weight chromium-binding substance (also known as chromodulin) is a molecule that transports chromium in the body and interacts with the insulin receptor. Through this action, it is believed to improve insulin sensitivity and blood glucose levels, the central characteristics of diabetes. ⁴

Affecting brain neurotransmitters

CrPic may be able to reduce hunger and subsequent food intake by affecting the levels of several brain neurotransmitters involved in the regulation of appetite and food cravings, such as serotonin. Another possibility is that it may do this by enhancing insulin-sensitive systems in the brain. However, this biological activity is yet to be fully understood and has only been demonstrated in rats.⁵

Chromium Picolinate’s Fat Burning Benefits

Chromium picolinate is a popular supplement for controlling food cravings. But although it has been suggested to reduce appetite and food intake — resulting in weight loss — it’s important to highlight that this effect seems to be restricted to people with specific conditions, namely diabetes, eating disorders, and depression. And even in these cases,  the weight loss effect seems to be relatively minor.

Meanwhile, the large majority of studies in healthy overweight or obese individuals show a lack of effect on body composition.⁶

Research

Human research

The majority of studies on chromium picolinate supplementation show that it does not have a significant impact on body weight. Meanwhile, the few successful studies are largely restricted to people with eating disorders, depression or diabetes.

Chromium picolinate (400 mcg) does not appear to promote weight loss in obese women undergoing exercise

This randomized, double-blind study looked at the effects of chromium picolinate on body composition in obese women undergoing 12 weeks of exercise. Forty-four women were assigned to take placebo or CrPic 400 mcg/day along with the exercise program. Neither body composition nor resting metabolic rate was significantly changed by chromium picolinate supplementation.

• The researchers concluded that “Twelve weeks of 400 microg/day of chromium as a CP supplement did not significantly affect body composition, RMR…”⁸

Chromium picolinate (1000 mcg) does not appear to promote weight loss in overweight adults

In a double-blind, randomized trial, 80 overweight adults were given chromium picolinate (1000 mcg/day) or placebo and followed a nutritional regimen for 24 weeks. There was no difference in body mass index (BMI) between the two groups at the end of the study.

• The researchers concluded that “Supplementation of 1000 microg of chromium picolinate alone, and in combination with nutritional education, did not affect weight loss in this population of overweight adults“⁹

Chromium picolinate (200 mcg) does not appear to affect body composition of healthy women

This double-blind, randomized study tested the effect of chromium picolinate (CrPic) on body composition. Eighty-three healthy women given 200 mcg CrPic or placeno daily for 12 weeks. Although supplementation increased Cr levels in the blood, it had no affect on body weight, fat, or lean mass.

• The researchers concluded that “Under conditions of controlled energy intake, CrPic supplementation of women did not independently influence body weight or composition…”¹⁰

CrPic (600-1000 mcg) may cause minor weight loss and reduce appetite in patients suffering from binge eating disorder

In  a double-blind, randomized study, twenty-four overweight adults with binge eating disorder (BED) were randomly assigned to receive placebo or CrPic, either at 1000 mcg/day (“high dose”) or 600 mcg/day (“moderate dose”) for 6 months. It was revealed that fasting glucose was significantly reduced in both chromium groups. Although not significantly, the reductions in body weight, binge frequency and related psychopathology, including symptoms of depression, were detected in chromium-treated groups versus placebo.

• The researchers concluded that “chromium supplementation may provide a useful low-cost alternative or augmentation strategy for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which have partial efficacy in BED” ¹¹.

Chromium picolinate (600 mcg) may reduce appetite and carb cravings in depressed individuals

This double-blind trial tested the effective of chromium picolinate in overweight and obese depressed patients. A total of 113 people with depression were given 600 mcg/day CrPic or placebo for 8 weeks. CrPic was found to decrease appetite and carbohydrate cravings.

• The researchers concluded that “…the main effect of chromium was on carbohydrate craving and appetite regulation in depressed patients…”¹²

Chromium picolinate 1000 mcg/day may reduce food intake and improve satiety in overweight women

In this randomized, double-blind clinical study, 42 overweight healthy women with carbohydrate cravings received 1000 mcg of CrPic or placebo for 8 weeks. In the CrPic-treated group, the significant reduction in fat cravings, food intake, and hunger were accompanied by the decreased body weight (-0.5 kg) compared to the control group.

• The conclusion from the study was that “CrPic has a role in food intake regulation, which may be mediated by a direct effect on the brain” ¹³

Dosage for Fat Burning

• In clinical trials, chromium picolinate is  used at doses of 200 – 1000 mcg/day
• Chromium picolinate supplements typically provide doses of 200 – 500 mcg
• Chromium is also frequently sold in the polynicotinate form, where it is bound to niacin (vitamin B3)
• Most people get sufficient amounts of chromium from a balanced diet