I just bought the latest issue of Woman's World, and they have an article about chromium and calcium, saying these two minerals aid in weight loss. Any one know anything about this?

calcium makes me think of the dairy commercials -- they say people who eat 3 servings of lowfat dairy daily are more likely to lose weight than those who don't. As for chromium, the only thing I know about that is it was recommended to me by an endocrinologist to help stabilize my blood sugar.

does it really stabilize blood sugar?

I had read that the calcium phenomenon as experienced by drinking more dairy only occurred by drinking more dairy. Calcium is good for you but I don't think calcium pills will help you lose weight. Also chromium isn't supposed to do anything either.

Dairy products, especially milk, are full of nutrients that help our health. But the recent "drink milk lose weight 24/24 campaign" we should be leery of.
Michael Zemel, the scientist whose findings were used to prove this theory, received his funding for this study from the National Dairy council. Sell more milk shall we?
This was a small study that only included 30 people, broken up into 3 test groups. This is simply not large enough to prove anything.
Other studies that were not funded by any organization that could profit from it were unable to reach the same results, and even zemel's study also included calorie restriction. You would have to replace some other part of your diet with milk, which means adding it to your reduced calorie diet means quite a bit less actual food. 24 ounces of milk a day would take up a huge part of my calorie allotment!
Calcium has been proven to improve bone density and nerve function, and there is no doubt that it is good for you. Studies on calcium in supplement form have also shown no impact whatsoever in weight loss in adult women.
Chromium-actually, thousands of studies have shown that chromium does aid in weight loss. It is natural to our bodies and essential to part of the metabolic process, but most of us aren't deficient because so little is needed. Chromium aids in insulin utilisation-in other words, stabilizing blood sugar. Of course, some studies say that a supplement may help, and some say it does little or nothing. As long as you don't take too much of them, it can't hurt anything, but neither of these is likely to help with weight loss either.

Chromium has not been shown to help in weight loss. However, it has been shown to be potentially dangerous and can cause genetic mutations. Whenever I see a diet pill advertise chromium as an ingredient, I automatically know their claims are bogus and it's a big red flag, in my personal opinion. (they are not required by law to prove their claims of weight loss) I recommend reading this article by Berkeley Wellness, University of California, for more information.

Dairy products have been shown to help in weight loss, but only in combination with a low calorie diet. Tufts University published an informative article which may be of use.

On a side note, Women's World and First Magazine (published by same company) are notorious for publishing the diet gimmick of the day and are not reliable sources for safe and effective weight loss advice. They've published a lot of wacky and somewhat dangerous diet advice in the past.

Isn't THAT the truth? I bought a WW today and on the cover it advertises how to lose 28 pounds with "diet pills that really work!" Oh and right above that is an ad about how chocolate is your "secret formula for gorgeous skin." On the bottom is a great big piece of cake with ads for some recipes.

Yah... RIGHT!! Let's see... should I have the cake or the chocolate along with my diet pills?? Guess I will just crawl into bed and read it for my evening entertainment!!!

Great point about Woman's World! It's ridiculous...I saw one in the checkout line the other day that had "Lose 28 pounds in 28 days" emblazoned on the cover. Even if that kind of loss is possible somehow, it would be mostly muscle and water weight and definitely dangerous.
And if chocolate was the secret to great looking skin-I'd be freakin' gorgeous
Yes-there has been one new study that showed high amounts of chromium taken for an extended period can cause dna damage and may possible even be linked to certain forms of cancer-the study sites 1200 mcg taken daily over several months. Chromium is vital to our metabolic process, but in a very miniscule amount as a trace mineral. It is very rare that any of us would be deficient enough to need a supplement, but the amounts sited by that study are ALOT. Most people taking supplements take between 200-400 mcg per day- If we take 3 times the recommended dosage of our multivitamin, it can cause problems. Plenty of minerals are considered toxic on overdose.
And to clarify-no, chromium doesn't "technically" cause "weight loss". Studies show that they MAY cause FAT loss, as in they affect body composition, wherein weight loss consisting more of actual body fat than muscle, etc. But AGAIN, in a healthy person, there is no deficiency, and no real reason or benefit to taking a supplement. The FDA has actually made a big deal lately with some manufacturers making claims that we "need" it, because there is no evidence provided to back that up.
I read the Tufts University report on the possible link between milk/weight loss. They still only site Dr Zemels study-I caution anyone to base their diet on his findings for several reasons....
1)It is only he and the national dairy council who make this recommendation, not doctors and dieticians. To me, this is comparable to buying cortislim just because THEIR scientist conducted a study that showed more weight loss with their product. The dairy industry is in need of a shot in the hip, because American consumption is WAY down since the 90's because it's been viewed as "bad" due to fat and calorie content.
2)It is the INDEPENDENT studies we should take heed of. The national dairy council stands to profit seriously from this, and they paid for it.
3)No ONE study should make up our minds about anything. This study was too small to be taken very seriously. 30 people. 10 in a control group, 10 taking calcium supplements, and 10 using dairy. All on a reduced calorie diet. Over a 12 week study, the people ingesting skim milk lost about 2 pounds more than the control group. THe supplement group also lost more, but not as much. 10 people losing 2 pounds more over 3 months doesn't prove much, simply because some people lose faster than others ANYWAY. The more overweight you are, for example, you will lose faster then someone who is closer to their goal. Men typically lose faster then women. This study doesn't factor in metabolism, sex, the TYPES of foods consumed, or the amount of everweight, so 2 pounds in 10 people isn't that big of a deal.
It's not that milk/dairy isn't good for us. It's a very nutrient dense liquid.