Anti-Aging Tip: Chromium: The Safe and Natural Fat-Loss Supplement
By Al Sears, MD
A non-prescription version of the weight-loss pill Orlistat is now available over the counter. But before you run off to buy it, there's something you should know: It's expensive, ineffective, and has some troubling side effects.
At $1 to $2 a pill, Orlistat is designed to block fat from being absorbed in your gut. But over 50 percent of those who take it suffer from gastrointestinal problems. And Dr. Sidney Wolfe - director of Public Citizen's Health Research Group - found studies linking the prescription version of the drug with precancerous lesions of the colon.
The idea of blocking fat is flawed to begin with. For one thing, trying to block fat does nothing to help control blood sugar and insulin, the real keys to fat loss. Plus, you need plenty of good fats to stay healthy - and, as we age, we have more trouble absorbing the fat we need.
The natural trace mineral chromium helps you control blood sugar and improve your sensitivity to insulin. Since insulin sensitivity declines with age, reversing that decline with chromium reverses that aspect of aging. Studies from three universities show that chromium also boosts muscle mass while burning off excess fat. Even those who took chromium without exercising burned fat without losing any muscle.
You can get chromium from foods like broccoli, turkey, seafood, eggs, and cheese. For faster and more impressive results, take a chromium supplement. The best form is chromium picolinate. I recommend 600 mcg once a day with a meal.
[Ed. Note: Dr. Sears, a practicing physician and the author of The Doctor's Heart Cure , is a leading authority on longevity, physical fitness, and heart health.]
Dr. Jamie Fettig’s Comments:
Check out the natural mineral supplements that I recommend |
