Can Chromium Cause Kidney Failure?

Dear Dr. McLeod,

A friend told me that a young man in our gym almost died from taking chromium picolinate.  Read more

Headaches Due to Allergy to Some Chromium Supplements?

Is Heartburn a Side Effect of Chromax?

Dr. McLeod,
Does Chromax cause heartburn? Read more

Does Chromium Cause Headaches and Muzziness?

Every time I take Chromax (Solgar brand) I develop a headache/muzziness. Now headaches are not something I normally suffer from.Have you come across this reaction before, and can you offer any advice? Is it something, for example, that would disappear in time?

Warm regards,

S.

ANSWER:

I’m not aware that chromium picolinate causes headaches. Headaches are so common and have so many different causes that I doubt chromium is causing your headaches and muzziness. But I’ll continue to mull over your questions and if I hear more, I’ll certainly post it here.

 

Allergy to Chromium Formulation?

Dear Dr. McLeod,

I want to thank you for your informative book. There are too many promotional books out, touting the use of this or that supplement, using as \”support\” piles of exaggerated anecdotes or citing questionable research (which seems always to have been done in an obscure Eastern European country by a researcher who has no publications available in peer reviewed or accessible journals). Your book is a refreshing difference. I enjoyed your tale of your small single blind study and its remarkably robust results.

I hope you don\’t mind a small \”correction.\” In the Q&A in which you responded to the question about \”muzziness,\” I think you misunderstood this colloquialism. Muzziness usually means a feeling of clouded mind, a dopey feeling, \”fuzzy\” minded, thick-headedness, fogginess, rather than dizziness. This type of feeling and the headaches might indicate a mild allergic reaction to something in the formula the person is taking. Just a thought.

Thanks again for your fine work,
L L., MD

Can a Person with Kidney Disease Take Chromium

Can a Person with Kidney Disease Take Chromium?

QUESTION:

Hello,

I have many of the symptoms of atypical depression and am interested in taking chromium picolinate but I read somewhere that you should not take it if you have a kidney disease – which I have. Is that correct or could I take it maybe even at a low dose?

Thank you,
N. C.

ANSWER:

Dear N.C.:
I am not aware of the study that shows people with kidney disease should not take chromium. I would like to know your source. There are several causes. Probably type II diabetes is the most common. Whether you take chromium or not may depend on your type of kidney disease.

A caveat: I am not a specialist in kidney diseases. I recommend that you consult a nephrologist — a physician who specializes in diseases of the kidney — and obtain his or her opinion about taking chromium.

Sorry I can’t be more definite. Please let me know what your nephrologist says.

Malcolm N. McLeod, MD

Does Chromium Cause Diabetes?

Does Chromium Cause Diabetes?

QUESTION:
Hello,

My coach told me to take 400 mcg of chromium picolinate every night for one month to support weight loss. However my family have the history of diabetics type 2, I am not sure about taking chromium as weight loss supplement. It might make me diabetic? please help me out.

Thanks and Regards
S K

ANSWER:
Your coach is correct that chromium supports weight loss. Several of my patients have lost many pounds after beginning to take chromium. I think that’s because chromium gives them more energy and enables them to exercise more.
Your coach is not correct on two points: 1) chromium does not cause diabetes. In fact there is some evidence that chromium delays or prevents the onset of diabetes. 2) Take chromium in the morning. If taken too late in the date, it may cause some difficulty in falling asleep.
Good luck, and thank you for contacting me. I would appreciate a followup.
Malcolm McLeod, MD

Does chromium cause hair loss?

Does chromium cause hair loss?

QUESTION:

Dear Dr. McLeod,

I am very happy to take chromium picolinate ( 400 mcg daily)
concerning my depression. I always feel energetic and am
well-composed with my relationships.
Therefore I was reading on the net some people talking about hair loss
with chromium. What do you think about? Is it a problem of dosage,
anything else or is there no link with the supplement?

Best regards,

A.C.
Paris, France

ANSWER: I am not aware that chromium causes hair loss. I am aware that the mood stabilizing drug, Depakote, can cause hair loss. To treat that, 200 mcg of selenium and 50 mg of zinc per day, is helpful in some people. I wonder if selenium and zinc might stop or reverse your hair loss. Please let me know.

Thank you for your question.
Malcolm McLeod, MD

Does chromium cause irritability?

Does chromium cause irritability?

Hi Dr. McLeod,

I am writing from Hawaii and read your wonderful book, “Lifting Depression.” I have suffered from depression, anxiety and OCD all my life (starting at a young age). I have tried almost all of the antidepressants in the market with side effects and have tried almost all herbs, minerals, vitamins, etc. I had seen two naturopaths/homeopaths and have tried everything, including homeopathic remedies with little or no relief. I came across info on chromium on the internet and thought it wouldn’t hurt to try… As with other things that I have tried, it immediately worked and lasted for the first three days, then I became angry and irritable. I have had these effects with kava, B complex, fish oil, 5-HTP, etc. Then, after I would try the supplements again, I would become immediately angry and irritable. I was told by a naturopath that this was a sign of my liver not being able to process the supplements correctly. After the chromium made me angry and irritable, I was very discouraged because this actually lifted my depression, anxiety, social anxiety and OCD symptoms immediately and I was so happy when it did! But, after a few days, I became very angry and irritable.

Do you have any suggestions? I had a hormone blood test done recently and am awaiting the results. I am 45 and was told that my depression/anxiety/OCD could be worsening because of my being premenopausal…

Thank you for reading this lengthy email. Everytime a supplement works, then stops working, I get really discouraged…. I wonder if I will ever find something that will help me. FYI – I fit in the category of having atypical depression…

Aloha,
A

Dear Ms. A,

I apologize for not answering your email sooner.
While chromium may rarely cause some degree of irritability, we don’t know whether chromium is the culprit in your case. You have had the same response with other dietary supplements and herbs.

Please don’t neglect exercise, reduction in carbs, and psychotherapy, as they are necessary elements in an overall treatment program.

You might consider reducing the dose of chromium. I would also urge you to take the ChromaxR brand as it is the most tested form of chromium.

Please semd me a followup up.

Regards,
Malcolm McLeod

Does chromium cause liver damage?

Does chromium cause liver damage?

I received the following e-mail:

“Dear Dr Mcleod

My answer is in red

Here is my short answer: I think you can safely take chromium picolinate. I advise you not to take chromium polynicotinate.

Here is my long answer: During the early days of my chromium research, I recommended chromium picolinate and chromium polynicotinate. In both preparations, chromium is bound to organic molecules, which helps absorption. Both helped with mood problems.

I have just read your very interesting book: `The Chromium Connection’ following a recommendation by UK-based nutritionist Patrick Holford in his newsletter.

I don’t know whether Chromium will help me or not as my symptoms are not as extreme as some you’ve highlighted. I have low blood sugar much of the time and quite bad sugar cravings (mainly chocolate) but am not particularly overweight. I have a history of depression, which on two occasions was severe but most of the time is moderate.

The reason for writing is that routine blood tests some years ago detected moderately elevated liver enzymes and they remain raised. The consultant who has seen me is not unduly concerned (having carried out various tests) but I am worried about taking any supplements if they could in way affect my liver.

I was just wondering whether you feel it is safe to try Chromium.

Yours J”

I soon realized, however, that chromium polynicotinate causes several objectionable side effects. That’s because the organic molecule in chromium polynicotinate is niacin, also known as vitamin B3, nicotinic acid, and niacinamide. It is well known that niacin causes several side effects, one of the most serious being elevation of liver enzymes. In other words, it was not the chromium that caused the problem; rather it’s the niacin to which chromium was bound.

Other side effects associated with chromium polynicotinate include dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure, flushing, warm, tingling of the skin, and hyperpigmentation of the skin. Several of my patients stopped chromium polynicotinate because of dizziness and fainting.

Chromium picolinate does not cause these side effects.

Please give my regards to Patrick Holford.

My best,

Malcolm McLeod

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