EFFECTS OF CHROMIUM YEAST AND CHROMIUM PI COLINATE ON BODY-COMPOSITION IN OBESE NONDIABETIC PATIENTS DURING AND AFTER A VERY-LOW-CALORIE DIET

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of chromium yeas t and chromium picolinate on lean body mass during and after weight re duction with a very-low-calorie diet. 36 obese (BMI 33.7 +/- 5.4 kg/m2 ), non-diabetic patients aged 45 +/- 6 years undergoing a 8-week very- low-calorie diet followed by a 18-week maintenance period. During the whole 26 week treatment period subjects received either placebo or chr omium yeast (200 mu g/d) or chromium-picolinate (200 mu g/d) in a doub le-blind manner. Body weight was measured as BMI and body composition after calculation from skinfold thickness. As a result all three group s showed comparable weight loss after 8 and 26 weeks. Lean body mass w as reduced in all groups after 8 weeks. However, after 26 weeks chromi um picolinate supplemented subjects showed increased lean body mass (p < 0.029) whereas the other treatment groups still had reduced lean bo dy mass. Chromium picolinate, but not chromium yeast, is able to incre ase lean body mass in obese patients in the maintenance period after a very-low-calorie diet without counteracting the weight loss achieved.