If you are looking buy a cheap diet pill, chromium picolinate certainly fits the bill. A one month supply costs only a couple bucks. But is chromium an effective weight loss supplement?

Chromium picolinate is often marketed as a weight loss supplement that builds muscle and boosts metabolism. Also, claims have been made that chromium suppresses appetite by maintaining blood sugar levels. While chromium is required for your body to use sugar properly, there is little scientific evidence that chromium helps with weight loss.

One small weight loss study found that people who took chromium picolinate lost about one pound a month over a three month period. But, other weight loss studies have shown chromium supplements do not have a significant effect on weight loss. Therefore, further studies need to be conducted before drawing conclusions about the effectiveness and long-term safety of chromium picolinate as a weight loss supplement.

While chromium picolinate has few side effects associated with it, there have been some reports that it may damage DNA, especially when taken with vitamin C. Along with the risk of cancer caused by DNA damage, irregular heartbeat and changes in sleeping patterns are possible side effects of chromium picolinate weight loss supplements.

Overall, chromium is a cheap essential mineral that your body needs only in trace amounts. Unless you are deficient in chromium, taking chromium picolinate supplements probably won’t help you lose weight.

If you want to try chromium picolinate diet supplements, 200 mcg is the recommended daily dose for weight loss. Also, chromium is an ingredient in several name brand diet pills, such as Dexatrim, Herbalife, and Trimspa.