Chromium Supplements: What is the best source?
Do you know how much chromium your body needs in your daily diet? Generally, a healthy adult needs about 25 to 30 micrograms per day. As you age, your chromium needs may increase. Pregnant and breast feeding women needs about 30 micrograms of chromium daily. As a rule, your chromium needs are based upon your age, health, weight, and body size.
In addition to enhancing the action of insulin in the body, chromium also plays a major role in the metabolism and storage of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Its exact role is yet unclear and additional studies will have to be conducted to establish this relationship. These studies will have to involve analyzing foods for its chromium content, determining the benefits of chromium, finding out if chromium supplements can help and computing how much amount of chromium is needed to address chromium deficiency.
There are many different foods that contain chromium. Unfortunately, the chromium amount found in these foods is quite small, approximately 2 microgram per serving. Examples of foods rich in chromium include vegetables, fruits, meat, seafood, spices and whole grain products. if you do not want to lose more chromium than usual, then you should stay away from foods that contain high amounts of sugar. These foods are known to deplete the chromium reserve in your body. To give you and idea how much chromium is contained in these foods, check the list below.
Broccoli and red wine lovers may find this list especially helpful! But it is unwise to over-indulge in either, of course. Foods that are high in sugar actually cause chromium depletion. Thus, people with type 2 diabetes should avoid sugary foods and instead consume food that is high in chromium because of its ability to regulate blood sugar (pancreatic insulin). Chromium also plays an essential role in regulating your metabolism and the storage of fat, carbohydrates and protein.
If you enjoy broccoli and red wine, this may be good news for you! But of course you'll need to consult with your physician to determine the right amount of chromium intake for you, depending upon your age, general health, medications, weight, and body size. As you age, your chromium needs may change. Women who are pregnant or breast feeding may need as much as 30 mcgs each day. A safe all-around amount of chromium for an average adult is between 25 to 35 micrograms.
High-quality chromium supplements are available in your local pharmacy or health food store as well as from online vendors. If you buy locally, be sure to ask questions of the store staff to make sure you're receiving a legitimate chromium supplement. Buying chromium online is especially convenient since you can do a little homework about the vendor through the "about chromium" section of the web site. You may also find better discounts from reliable, legitimate online vendors as well as free shipping with your order.
