[The study of nickel and chromium contents in dietary supplements supporting slimming].

The market of dietary supplements develops extremely fast in the whole world, also in Poland. A great popularity is ascribed to preparations aiding slimming diet. The application of dietary supplements aimed at reducing body's weight is a result of trends connected with the popularity of a healthy lifestyle and the care about one's appearance. Dietary supplements produced on the basis of natural products frequently contain significant amounts of mineral compounds, including microelements indispensable for man (in strictly specified amounts), among others: nickel and chromium. The subject of the study was 16 chosen dietary supplements aiding slimming in which the levels of chromium and nickel were determined. The samples were mineralized "dry" at the temperature of 480 degrees C. The ashes were dissolved in 15%-aqueous solution of HCl (Suprapur, Merck). The levels of the investigated elements were determined in Pye Unicam SP192 Atomic Absorption Spectrometer: nickel - by the extraction method from the organic phase, chromium - directly from a mineralised substance. Determined levels of nickel ranged from 0.11 microg/g in Nivelazione-"kapsulki na noc" supplement to 3.35 microg/g in Teavera preparation, and of chromium from 0.12 microg/g (Adipobon mono) to 22.93 microg/g (Chitobon-preparation with the addition of chromium). The levels of nickel and chromium in the studied supplements were different and depended on the preparation content. The capsules of some preparations, e.g., those with the addition of organic chromium contained levels of chromium exceeding AI dose for this element.