Trivalent chromium is a trace mineral in many foods that might help insulin work, although how it does so has not been identified and experts now debate whether it is essential1.
Might enhance the action of insulin and so play a role in carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism; the precise mechanism is unknown1.
Researchers do not fully understand what chromium does, but it might help the body use carbohydrates, fats and proteins2.
One proposal: chromium binds a small peptide to form chromodulin, which activates the insulin receptor1.
Chromium might also have antioxidant effects1.
U.S. experts called it essential in 2001; in 2014 European experts found no convincing evidence that it is1.
Very little dietary chromium is absorbed; in the blood most of it is bound to plasma proteins, mainly transferrin, and it accumulates mainly in the liver, spleen, soft tissue and bone before leaving mostly in the urine1. Vitamin C increases absorption, while oxalate and antacids reduce it1.
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Grape juice, 1 cup | 7.5 µg |
| English muffin, whole wheat, 1 | 3.6 µg |
| Brewer’s yeast, 1 tablespoon | 3.3 µg |
| Orange juice, 1 cup | 2.2 µg |
| Lettuce, 1 wedge (about 5 oz) | 1.8 µg |
| Tomato juice, 1 cup | 1.5 µg |
| Apple, with peel, 1 medium | 1.4 µg |
| Green beans, ½ cup | 1.1 µg |
| Food and serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ham, 3 oz | 3.6 µg |
| Beef, 3 oz | 2.0 µg |
| Turkey breast, 3 oz | 1.7 µg |
| Haddock, 3 oz | 0.6 µg |
| Chicken breast, 3 oz | 0.5 µg |
| Egg, 1 medium | 0.2 µg |
Chromium in food varies widely with local soil, water and processing, and samples are easily contaminated during testing, so these figures are only a guide1. Amounts per serving from1.
Some chromium moves into food from stainless steel processing equipment and from pots and pans during cooking1.
Most multivitamin/mineral supplements contain chromium, and chromium-only products usually hold much more1.
Only a very small share of the chromium in food or supplements is absorbed, and the common forms are absorbed similarly1.
The same reference table draws the reference lines on your charts in Ayuvo. Needs differ in pregnancy and breastfeeding, which are not covered here.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 19–30 | 25 mcg | 35 mcg |
| 31–50 | 25 mcg | 35 mcg |
| 51–70 | 20 mcg | 30 mcg |
| 71+ | 20 mcg | 30 mcg |
AI (Adequate Intake) is used when there is not enough evidence for an RDA: an amount assumed to be enough. Per day, for adults1.
Signs like these have many possible causes. They are a reason to talk to a clinician, not to self-treat.
Chromium deficiency has not been reported in healthy people, and no definitive deficiency symptoms have been established1.
No upper limit is set because no adverse effects have been linked to high intakes from food or supplements, but data are limited and caution may be warranted1.
Supplements list the amount of elemental chromium on the label, in forms such as picolinate, nicotinate, polynicotinate, chloride and histidinate1.
The form used most in studies; about 1.2% was absorbed in research1.
About 0.4% absorbed, similar to the share absorbed from food1.
Also sold as polynicotinate; one of several forms in supplements1.
Yeast containing chromium, used in some supplement trials1.
Supplements can interact with medicines. Talk to a clinician or pharmacist before you start one, especially at high doses.
Results are mixed. Some trials found small drops in fasting glucose and HbA1c in people with diabetes, but the clinical significance is unclear, and the American Diabetes Association does not recommend chromium supplements because they lack a clear benefit. Chromium might add to the effect of insulin and other glucose-lowering medicines.
Trials of chromium picolinate and other forms found a very small extra weight loss compared with placebo. Reviewers describe the effect as statistically significant but of little clinical relevance.
No. Food and supplements contain trivalent chromium, chromium(III). Hexavalent chromium, chromium(VI), is a different form that is a toxic by-product of stainless steel and other manufacturing.
Food logging does not estimate chromium, so Ayuvo tracks it from supplements you log in Medications, and from Apple Health on iPhone or Health Connect on Android when another app saves it there. Charts by day, week, month and year use the reference lines from this page, personalised by age and sex where they differ. Free, with no account.
Or read the code: Ayuvo is open source
Facts on this page come from these sources, checked on the dates shown. Intake numbers come from Ayuvo's shared reference table, which cites the sources marked for them.
General information, not medical advice. This guide is for healthy adults and does not cover pregnancy, breastfeeding, children or medical conditions. It cannot diagnose or treat anything. Talk to a clinician before starting high-dose supplements, or if you think you may have too little or too much of a nutrient. Spotted an error? Email us.