Antecedents: Commercialized like dietetic supplement, chromium picolinate has been promoted to favour the increase of muscle mass and the loss of weight, due to its' effect on the action of insulin.
Objective: To evaluate the effect of supplementation of the diet with chromium (500 microg/kg) in the form of chromium picolinate (CrPic) (12 days) on growth and protein turnover in rats at different growth stages (infantile and puberal).
Results and discussion: No significant effect of CrPic on bodyweight gain, feed intake and feed conversion rate was observed at any of the stages of development studied. CrPic seems to increase the muscle mass, either by stimulating protein anabolism due to the involution of the insulin by chromium, or by reducing protein catabolism.
Conclusions: Since the use of chromium picolinate could jeopardize the correct renal function and its' beneficial effects are not evident, it should always be consumed with caution.