Chromium

Trace minerals

Glucose metabolism

Your intake

Today (logged)

0 mcg

0% of 35 mcg

Stack potential

0 mcg

0% of 35 mcg

Target

35 mcg

FDA Daily Value

Where you are on the ladder0% of target

What each level of chromium does

Approximate dose-response bands. Individual response varies — these are starting points, not prescriptions.

Severely lowYOU ARE HERE
0 mcg – 11.55 mcg
Well below target. Risk of deficiency symptoms tied to glucose metabolism.
Insufficient
11.55 mcg – 35 mcg
Below the recommended daily target. Long-term adequacy not assured.
Adequate
35 mcg – 52.5 mcg
Daily target met. Standard nutritional support for glucose metabolism.
Therapeutic
52.5 mcg – 70 mcg
Common for specific health goals. Check the evidence for your situation before sustaining this level.
Diminishing returns
70 mcg – +
Past the point where extra intake typically helps. Evidence for further benefit is thin.

Overview

Trace mineral whose biological essentiality has been challenged. The 1959 'glucose tolerance factor' work has not held up; EFSA's 2014 review concluded no essential function is established. The US DV (35 mcg) is legacy. Chromium picolinate is the most-studied supplement, with modest insulin-sensitivity effects in insulin-resistant adults.

Functions

●Historically proposed: enhances insulin receptor activity (mechanism unconfirmed)
●Possible role in modulating LDLR expression
●No undisputed essential function in human physiology

Mechanism

Older models proposed that chromium binds 'chromodulin', a low-molecular-weight chromium-binding peptide, that amplifies insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Modern biochemistry has not confirmed this. If chromium has any pharmacologic effect, it is at supplemental doses (200–1,000 mcg/day) and limited to insulin-resistant subgroups.

Benefits

●Modest reduction in fasting glucose and HbA1c in some type 2 diabetes trials (heterogeneous)
●Possible mild appetite suppression in some PMS/atypical depression studies
●No effect on body composition in non-insulin-resistant adults
●EFSA does not recognise an established essential function

Deficiency

No reliable cases of spontaneous chromium deficiency in humans. A few historical TPN case reports without chromium are the only published examples.

Signs

●Impaired glucose tolerance (TPN cases only)
●Peripheral neuropathy (TPN cases only)
●Generally undefined in unsupplemented populations

At-risk groups

●Long-term chromium-free TPN (now standard to include)
●Theoretical only in unrestricted diets

Excess

Trivalent chromium (Cr3+, supplements) has very low toxicity at typical supplement doses. Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+, industrial pollutant) is carcinogenic — completely different category.

Signs

●Generally well-tolerated at supplement doses
●Rare reports of dermatitis, headache, mood disturbance
●Possible interaction with thyroid medication

Forms

Chromium picolinate
Most studied; mild lipid and glucose effects in some trials
Chromium polynicotinate
Alternative organic form; similar profile
Chromium chloride
Inorganic; poorly absorbed
Chromium GTF (brewer's yeast)
Mixed organic forms; historical research substrate

Food sources

Broccoli (cooked) · 1/2 cup11 mcg
Grape juice · 1 cup8 mcg
Whole-wheat English muffin · 14 mcg
Beef (cooked) · 3 oz2 mcg
Brewer's yeast · 1 tbsp10 mcg

Supplement forms

Chromium picolinate is the most studied. If you supplement, 200 mcg/day is a reasonable starting dose; benefits are most plausible in people with existing insulin resistance. Skipping it is also reasonable — EFSA's review found no essential function established.

Bioavailability

Only ~0.4–2.5% of dietary chromium is absorbed. Organic forms (picolinate, polynicotinate) absorb modestly better than inorganic. Vitamin C and niacin slightly enhance absorption; antacids reduce it.

Longevity relevance

Low signal. Modern essentiality is contested; supplementation effects are small and limited to insulin-resistant subgroups. Whole-food intake from a typical diet is unlikely to be a healthspan-limiting factor.

Relationships

Synergies (works better with)

Vitamin C, niacin · Mildly enhance absorption
Insulin / metformin · If any chromium effect exists, it is on insulin sensitivity; co-use rational in T2D protocols

Antagonists (competes with / inhibited by)