Nutritional Supplement Reviews by Real People Like You

Question expanded by another reader.
Will taking 600 mcg's of chromium picolinate a day harm me in any way? I am a 23 year old male.

This also from the article: "Now a new study conducted by Dr. John Vincent at the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa shows that chromium picolinate enters the cells directly and stays there where it can cause problems. In fact, the chromium picolinate reacts with vitamin C and other antioxidants in the cells to produce a 'reduced' form of chromium capable of causing mutations in DNA, the genetic material. It's the combination of chromium and picolinate (particularly the reduced form) that can produce dangerous compounds - not chromium alone. Moreover, the picolinate breaks off and itself has adverse effects." (University of CA, Berkeley Wellness Letter, Volume 15, Issue 9 June 1999).

There was no information, however, about how much chromium picolinate was used in the study or for the length of time the study was conducted. So, it may be one of those things that if used properly, meaning at safe levels, there may not be any harm, but I don't know. I myself use a product that has chromium picolinate in a mix of other natural herbs, with no stimulants added. It has worked well for many people. So, until more research is out...

I called the maker of ripped fuel and their chemist as well as their nutritionist told me they don't have any advice other than "go see a doctor". I called AZ poison control and was told that the Chromium Picolinate is what caused the problem & more than likely that the vitamin C I took with it enhanced the effect. Needless to say, if I fully recover from this nightmare, after taking Twin Labs products for over 15 years, I will never again purchase anything with their name on it again. I hope this serves as a warning to anyone else who may be taking a product with this dangerous additive in it.