Chromium: what it is, what it is for and how to consume it

Chromium is an important mineral for the body as it participates in the metabolism of fat, carbohydrates and proteins, with the benefits of increasing insulin action, energy and muscle mass, and promoting blood glucose control, for example.

This mineral is found naturally in some foods, such as meat, eggs, vegetables and legumes, but can also be used in the form of dietary supplements, such as chromium picolinate.

Read too: Chromium picolinate: what it is, what it is for and how to take it

To obtain the benefits of this mineral, it is important to include foods rich in chromium in your daily diet or use supplements when recommended by your doctor or nutritionist.

What is it for

Chromium is a mineral that serves several functions in the body, mainly participating in carbohydrate metabolism, which increases the action and sensitivity to the hormone insulin.

Furthermore, it is also possible that chromium has activity in the metabolism of fats and proteins and, therefore, can be a great ally in weight loss diets and muscle mass gain.

Read too: 9 diet tips to gain muscle mass (with menu)

9 benefits of chromium

The main benefits of chromium are:

1. Help in the treatment of insulin resistance

Chromium can help in the treatment of insulin resistance, as it regulates insulin receptors in cells, in addition to increasing and prolonging the effect of this hormone in the body.

2. Control blood glucose

Chromium helps control blood glucose because it increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin, which ensures that circulating glucose in the blood is balanced, promoting the control and prevention of diabetes.

Read too: 14 fruits for diabetics (and what to avoid)

3. Promote weight loss

Chromium helps with weight loss because it enhances the action of insulin, a hormone that increases the use of carbohydrates and fats by cells as a source of energy, and increases the absorption of proteins.

Furthermore, increased insulin action also helps to reduce the feeling of hunger, as the desire to eat appears when this hormone is low in the body.

4. Help in the treatment of metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a set of factors, such as abdominal obesity, high triglycerides and bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol and increased blood sugar, which increase the risk of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

By acting on the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, chromium can help in the treatment of metabolic syndrome, as it promotes the reduction of cholesterol and increases insulin action and sensitivity.

5. Promote muscle mass gain

Chromium stimulates the production of muscles, as it increases the absorption of protein in the intestine, and causes it to be more used by muscle cells after physical exercise, favoring the gain of muscle mass.

Read too: 9 supplements to gain muscle mass (and how to use them)

6. Increase the body’s metabolism

By promoting the increase in muscle mass, chromium also helps to increase the body’s metabolism. This is because muscles consume a lot of energy.

Thus, the more muscles, the higher the metabolism and the easier it is to lose weight.

7. Regulate cholesterol levels

Chromium also helps control cholesterol, as it works by reducing “bad” cholesterol, LDL, and increasing “good” cholesterol, HDL, and can be indicated as a complement to the treatment of high cholesterol.

8. Prevent cardiovascular diseases

By regulating cholesterol levels, chromium can help prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis, heart attack or stroke.

9. Help in the treatment of polycystic ovaries

Chromium can also help in the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome, as it improves insulin sensitivity, since one of the factors related to this syndrome is insulin resistance.

How to consume

Chromium is a mineral that can be found naturally in foods or used in supplement form.

1. Foods rich in chromium

Chromium can be found naturally in foods such as:

• Meat, chicken and seafood;
• Eggs;
• Milk and dairy products;
• Whole grains such as oats, flaxseed and chia;
• Whole foods, such as rice and bread;
• Fruits, such as grapes, apples and oranges;
• Vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, garlic and tomatoes;
• Legumes, such as beans, soybeans and corn.

Ideally, these foods that are sources of chromium should be consumed together with foods that are sources of vitamin C, such as oranges, pineapple and acerola, to increase the absorption of this mineral in the intestine.

Read too: Vitamin C: what it is for, foods and recommended amount

2. Chromium supplement

The use of chromium supplements is normally recommended for people with chromium deficiency or those who practice intense physical activity and want to gain muscle mass. See more about the use of chromium supplements.

Chromium can be consumed in the form of capsule supplements, such as chromium picolinate. The daily dosage varies according to nutritional needs and treatment objectives, and it is generally recommended to take the capsules at lunch or dinner.

Excessive consumption of chromium supplement can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and headaches.

It is important to highlight that more scientific studies are still needed to prove the benefits of chromium supplements. Therefore, its use should only be done with the advice of a doctor or nutritionist.

Recommended daily amount

The recommended daily amount of chromium varies according to age and gender, according to the following table:

Breastfeeding women up to 18 years of age need to consume 44 mcg of chromium per day. For women who breastfeed and are between 19 and 50 years old, the daily recommendation for chromium is 45 mcg.

Chromium deficiency

Chromium deficiency can cause symptoms such as tiredness, irritability, mood changes, and increased blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

However, a healthy and balanced diet, containing foods that are rich in this mineral, is capable of providing the necessary amounts of chromium per day. See how to eat a healthy diet.