Catherine Saxelby's Foodwatch | Q. What is chromium and why do we need it?

Q. What is chromium and why do we need it?

A. An essential mineral, chromium is often promoted as a supplement for people with diabetes and as a muscle-enhancer for body builders.

Chromium is part of the Glucose Tolerance Factor or GTF, needed for the burning of carbohydrates and fats in the body.

It enhances the action of the hormone insulin, which makes blood glucose available to cells. But do we need to supplement?

For most of us, getting enough chromium is simply a matter of good nutrition. It is found in drinking water and many foods including grains, meat, (especially liver and kidney), nuts, seafood, brewers, yeast, egg yolk, cheese.

Older people have been identified as one group that could be deficient in chromium. For them, a supplement may be useful.

But unfortunately, the chromium from pills is not as well absorbed as from food. And the extra chromium only helps if you're deficient; for the rest of us, they are of little benefit.

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