Chromium Supplements Do Not Improve Fasting Blood Sugar

A U.S. researcher who analyzed 30 years of data on chromium supplementation has concluded that chromium has no effect on the fasting blood sugar levels of either healthy or diabetic individuals. It has been suggested that chromium might help the 26 percent of Americans whose fasting glucose is impaired, a precursor of type 2 diabetes. But after combing through 16 studies published from 1985 to 2012, involving 809 adults of all ages (to 67 years), the researchers found no positive effect from chromium chloride, chromium picolinate, chromium nicotinate, chromium dinicocysteinate or chromium yeast at doses ranging from 200 to 1,000 μg a day.