|
Are you getting enough chromium each day? Try this simple test: look at the label of your multi-vitamin and see how much, if any, chromium it contains. Your body needs about 120 micrograms of chromium to maintain your health. Unfortunately, your multi-vitamin contains much less than this under the assumption that you'll gain chromium from the foods you eat that contain chromium such as meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. But in today's world of fast food, a hamburger and fries at the drive-through just isn't enough for your body to gain the chromium it needs.
Chromium should be a part of your daily nutritional intake; it is needed to metabolize fat and regulate your blood glucose (sugar) level. It is your pancreas that produces insulin, and chromium plays a major role in enhancing insulin's action in your body. This is especially crucial if you suffer from type 2 diabetes. In many cases, chromium can actually prevent the adult onset of this serious illness.
Your body stores chromium in your spleen, liver, kidneys and bones. Unfortunately, this significant amount of chromium (120 micrograms) is seldom found in today's rapidly-paced society where it's easier to grab a burger and fries from a fast-food restaurant than to carefully balance our meals and the amount of nutrients we need each day. As a result, more and more Americans are developing hyperglycemia and diabetes.
The necessity of maintaining a healthy level of chromium in your daily diet cannot be overstressed. Your blood sugar levels must be carefully regulated to produce a high amount of energy. Simply by combining chromium with other nutrients found naturally in food or in your multi-vitamin, you can be virtually certain that your pancreatic insulin is being correctly used.
As you age, you'll find that your vitamin and mineral nutritional needs change. For example, people over 50 to 60 may find that it's more difficult for their bodies to absorb and maintain a healthy level of chromium. In addition, glucose tolerance levels may also be affected by age. Fortunately, there is a quick solution to this problem: in addition to your multi-vitamin, your physician may recommend a chromium supplement. You'll gain the additional benefit of reducing your risks of developing late onset type 2 diabetes.
Chromium picolinate is also being studied and used as a carbohydrate-burning supplement. It has also been discovered to play a vital role in the synthesis of protein, fat, and carbohydrates; this could benefit you by reducing the risk of coronary problems later in life.
Chromium picolinate has also been tapped as a carbohydrate-burning supplement and considered to be successfully. This form of chromium is actually composed of chelated chromium and the amino acid metabolite, picolinate. In addition to the many actions of chromium picolinate, it is also found to play a major role in protein, fats and carbohydrate synthesis as well as prevent coronary problems in the future.
If you think that you need to increase your chromium levels, taking supplements is the most effective solution. You can establish your need for chromium supplement if you are feeling tired, anxious and suffering from glucose intolerance. For adults, you need to take at least 120 mcg daily. In case you are suffering from severe chromium deficiency, your doctor might recommend higher amount of daily chromium intake. You should make sure that you check with your doctor before taking these chromium supplements.
| 
