Chromium supplementation 'not helpful in lowering blood sugar levels'

Researchers have shown that chromium supplementation is not effective at lowering fasting blood sugar in healthy individuals or diabetics.

Christopher H. Bailey, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, at UM's School of Education and Human Development and author of the study, said that though chromium supplementation doesn't lower fasting blood sugar, there may be other beneficial effects on the body that require more research.

The project looked at 16 studies published from 1985 to 2012. It included 809 participants between 36 to 67 years old. The chromium supplements included in the analysis were chromium chloride, chromium picolinate, chromium nicotinate, chromium dinicocysteinate and chromium yeast. Doses of chromium ranged from 200 to 1,000 micro gram per day.

The study has been published in the journal Biological Trace Element Research.