EFFECTS OF CHROMIUM PICOLINATE SUPPLEMENTATION ON BODY-COMPOSITION, STRENGTH, AND URINARY CHROMIUM LOSS IN FOOTBALL PLAYERS

The effects of 9 weeks of daily chromium supplementation (200mug Cr as picolinate) were investigated in a double-blind design in football pl ayers during spring training. Testing was done pre-, mid-, and postsup plementation on the following criterion measures: urinary chromium exc retion, girth and skinfold measures, percent body fat and lean body ma ss, and isometric and dynamic strength. With the exception of 2 variab les (of 65 variables analyzed), no significant group by trials interac tions were found (based on a repeated measures ANOVA). The two excepti ons were unrelated and inconsequential. For 27 of the 38 subjects, ave rage urinary chromium loss at pre was 0.36 mug/24 hr. whereas it was u ndetectable (<0.1 mug/24 hr) for 10 subjects and excessive in 1 subjec t (2.4 mug/24 hr). Subjects receiving chromium supplements demonstrate d urinary chromium losses five times greater than those in the placebo group at mid and post. Chromium picolinate supplementation was ineffe ctive in bringing about changes in body composition or strength during a program of intensive weight-lifting training.