Effects of chromium picolinate on beginning weight training students

Changes in body weight (BW), a sum of three body circumferences (sigma C), a sum of three skinfolds (sigma SF), and the one-repetition maximum (1RM) for the squat (SQ) and bench press (BP) were examined in 59 college-age students (37 males [M], 22 females [F]) over a 12-week weight lifting program. Using a double-blind protocol, half of the students were given 200 micrograms/day chromium (Cr) in the form of chromium picolinate (CrPic) while the other half received a placebo (P). Therefore four groups were randomly formed: F-CrPic (n = 12), F-P (n = 10), M-CrPic (n = 18), and M-P (n = 19). All groups had significant increases in sigma C and significant decreases in sigma SF. No treatment effects were seen for the strength measurements, although the males experienced greater absolute increases. The only significant treatment effect found was due to the F-CrPic group gaining more BW (p = 0.0048) than the other three groups. It was concluded that CrPic supplementation had a greater effect on the females than on the males.