Chromium helps beat cholesterol and heart disease

If you thought of chromium as the shiny metal in a car bumper, you’re not alone. Of course chrome bumpers are long gone, but the metal plays a crucial role in human health, reports the Jan 2007 issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch.

Chromium and cholesterol:
The best ways to boost HDL levels are lifestyle changes such as exercise and a diet boosted with Omega-3 fish oil, fresh vegetables and fruit, while eliminating processed foods, sugar and supermarket fats. But if those don’t help, chromium may be worth a try. Some clinical trials have reported a benefit. Chromium deficiency leads to high cholesterol levels in rats, but the results in humans have been contradictory, so it may be too early to recommend chromium supplements for high cholesterol.

Chromium and heart disease:
A new study reports a link between chromium levels and heart attack risk: the lower the levels, the higher the risk. The association of low chromium and heart attacks was unrelated to diabetes or diet.

Chromium and diabetes:
Many diabetics will test a deficiency in chromium, and since chromium influences insulin action and glucose metabolism, diabetes is a logical candidate for chromium replacement therapy. However, studies have yielded conflicting results. The American Diabetes Association states that “at present, benefit from chromium supplements has not been conclusively demonstrated.” This is an invitation for more scientific study.

Chromium and weight loss:
Despite the popularity of chromium picolinate as a diet aid, scientists agree that chromium supplements are not effective in producing sustained weight loss.

Is chromium right for you? When it comes to dietary chromium, the answer is yes; whole grains, nuts, broccoli, and green beans, which contain the mineral, are all healthful foods.

Image source=ScienceNews.com
Keyword=n_d