Chromium: What It Does, Food Sources, and Daily Needs
Chromium may play a role in insulin action and nutrient metabolism, while foods such as meat, grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and brewer’s yeast can contribute small amounts to daily intake.
Key takeaways
- Chromium is a trace mineral. The form found in foods and supplements is trivalent chromium, or chromium (III).
- Its exact role is still being studied. Chromium may participate in insulin action and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
- Chromium occurs in many foods. Meat, grains, some fruits and vegetables, nuts and brewer’s yeast can contribute to intake.
- U.S. recommendations use Adequate Intake values. For adults ages 19–50, the AI is 35 mcg for men and 25 mcg for women.
- More chromium is not necessarily better. Evidence for supplements in blood sugar control, weight loss and metabolism is mixed or shows only very small effects.
In this article
Chromium is a trace mineral found in many foods and also available in dietary supplements. It has traditionally been associated with insulin action and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, although its exact physiological role continues to be studied.
The United States established reference intake values for chromium in 2001. More recent research, however, has questioned whether chromium should still be considered an essential nutrient, and a clear chromium deficiency state has not been demonstrated in healthy people.
What Is Chromium?
Chromium is a trace mineral that exists in several chemical forms. The form found in foods and dietary supplements is trivalent chromium, or chromium (III).
It should not be confused with chromium (VI), or hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium is a toxic compound associated mainly with certain industrial processes and is not the form of chromium discussed in nutrition.
For many years, trivalent chromium was considered an essential nutrient. In 2001, the U.S. Food and Nutrition Board established Adequate Intake values based on the evidence available at that time.
The scientific picture has since changed. Later research has not demonstrated a clearly defined chromium deficiency state in healthy people, and EFSA concluded in 2014 that the available evidence was not convincing enough to consider chromium an essential nutrient or establish European intake recommendations. The U.S. values established in 2001 are still used.
What Does Chromium Do?
The exact physiological role of chromium is not fully understood. Research suggests that it may participate in the way the body uses carbohydrates, fats and proteins, but these functions are less clearly defined than those of many other minerals.
Chromium and insulin
Much of the interest in chromium comes from its possible relationship with insulin, the hormone involved in regulating blood glucose. Chromium has been proposed to enhance insulin action at cell receptors, although the precise mechanism has not been firmly established.
This possible relationship helped make chromium supplements popular for blood sugar control. However, having a possible biological mechanism does not mean that taking large amounts of chromium automatically improves glucose regulation.
Nutrient metabolism
Chromium may participate in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, partly through its possible relationship with insulin action. Its contribution remains less clearly established than the roles of nutrients such as iron, iodine or magnesium.
For this reason, it is more accurate to say that chromium may participate in these metabolic processes rather than presenting it as unquestionably essential for metabolism. Research into its physiological importance is still evolving.
How Much Chromium Do You Need?
In the United States, chromium recommendations are expressed as Adequate Intake (AI) rather than an RDA. These values were established in 2001 based largely on typical chromium intakes observed in healthy populations because there was not enough evidence to establish an EAR and RDA.
| Age / Life Stage | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 years | 11 mcg | 11 mcg |
| 4–8 years | 15 mcg | 15 mcg |
| 9–13 years | 25 mcg | 21 mcg |
| 14–18 years | 35 mcg | 24 mcg |
| 19–50 years | 35 mcg | 25 mcg |
| 51+ years | 30 mcg | 20 mcg |
| Pregnancy, adults | — | 30 mcg |
| Breastfeeding, adults | — | 45 mcg |
These values need to be viewed in the context of current research. NIH notes that scientists no longer consider the evidence sufficient to say with certainty that chromium is required for human health, while the Food and Nutrition Board has not yet reevaluated the recommendations established in 2001.
The table therefore represents current U.S. reference values, not proof that every individual must precisely reach these amounts. European authorities have taken a more cautious position because the evidence for essentiality remains uncertain.
What Foods Contain Chromium?
Chromium occurs in small amounts in a wide variety of foods. Meat, grain products, certain fruits and vegetables, nuts and brewer’s yeast can all contribute to intake.
| Food | Serving | Approximate Chromium |
|---|---|---|
| Grape juice | 1 cup | ~7.5 mcg |
| Ham | 85 g | ~3.6 mcg |
| Whole-wheat English muffin | 1 | ~3.6 mcg |
| Brewer’s yeast | 1 tablespoon | ~3.3 mcg |
| Orange juice | 1 cup | ~2.2 mcg |
| Beef | 85 g | ~2.0 mcg |
| Lettuce | ~140 g | ~1.8 mcg |
| Turkey | 85 g | ~1.7 mcg |
| Apple with skin | 1 | ~1.4 mcg |
| Green beans | ½ cup | ~1.1 mcg |
| Banana | 1 | ~1.0 mcg |
| Whole-wheat bread | 1 slice | ~1.0 mcg |
| Tomato | 1 | ~0.9 mcg |
| Peanut butter | 1 tablespoon | ~0.6 mcg |
| Egg | 1 large | ~0.2 mcg |
These values should be treated as estimates because chromium content can vary considerably between foods and even between samples of the same food. Soil and water, animal feed, and production or processing methods can all influence final chromium concentrations.
Measuring chromium in food is also technically difficult. NIH notes that even contact with stainless-steel equipment during food processing or preparation can transfer small amounts of chromium into food.
What Is Chromium Deficiency?
Unlike deficiencies of iron, iodine or several other nutrients, there is no well-defined clinical chromium deficiency state in healthy people. NIH notes that chromium deficiency has not been reported in otherwise healthy populations.
In the past, some metabolic problems observed in people receiving total parenteral nutrition were attributed to chromium deficiency. The interpretation of those cases was later questioned, contributing to the current debate over whether chromium should be classified as an essential nutrient.
There is also no validated clinical test that can reliably determine a person’s chromium status. Blood or urine chromium levels do not provide a simple measure of total body stores or nutritional adequacy.
Chromium and Blood Sugar
Chromium supplements are frequently promoted for blood sugar control, particularly in the form of chromium picolinate. Clinical research, however, has produced inconsistent results.
Some studies have reported changes in blood glucose or insulin sensitivity, while others have not found clear benefits. NIH notes that the American Diabetes Association does not recommend chromium supplements for people with diabetes because evidence of benefit is not sufficiently clear.
The situation is similar for metabolic syndrome and PCOS. Available research does not currently demonstrate consistent enough benefits to recommend chromium supplementation as a treatment for these conditions.
Do You Need a Chromium Supplement?
For most people, there is no clear reason to take a stand-alone chromium supplement. Many multivitamins already contain chromium, often in amounts ranging from roughly 35 to 120 mcg, while individual chromium supplements may provide several hundred micrograms.
Chromium supplements are also marketed for weight loss and increased lean body mass. Studies have found, at most, very small changes in weight or body fat, and NIH considers these effects too small to produce a meaningful difference in health or appearance.
There is currently no established Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for chromium because the available safety data are insufficient. The absence of a UL does not mean that very high supplemental doses have been proven safe.
People with kidney or liver conditions may need additional caution. Chromium supplements may also interact with insulin, metformin and other diabetes medications, potentially contributing to lower blood glucose, while taking chromium with levothyroxine may reduce absorption of the medication.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chromium used for in the body?
Research suggests that chromium may participate in insulin action and the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. However, its exact mechanism and physiological importance remain uncertain.
More recent research has even questioned whether chromium should continue to be classified as an essential nutrient. Its role therefore needs to be described more cautiously than that of minerals with clearly established essential functions.
How much chromium do you need per day?
Current U.S. AI values for adults ages 19–50 are 35 mcg per day for men and 25 mcg for women. After age 51, the values are 30 mcg for men and 20 mcg for women.
These recommendations were established in 2001 and have not yet been reevaluated by the Food and Nutrition Board. EFSA concluded that the evidence was insufficient to establish European chromium intake recommendations.
What foods contain chromium?
Chromium can be found in meat, grain products, fruits, vegetables, nuts and brewer’s yeast. The amount can vary considerably between foods and even between different samples of the same food.
Because of this variability, it is difficult to construct a highly precise ranking of the “best” chromium sources. A varied diet can provide chromium from several different foods.
Does chromium help control blood sugar?
Chromium supplements have been studied for diabetes and blood sugar management, but the results are mixed. There is not enough evidence to consider chromium supplements a treatment for diabetes.
People who use insulin or glucose-lowering medications should also be cautious. Chromium supplements could potentially contribute to additional lowering of blood glucose.
Does chromium picolinate help with weight loss?
Studies have found, at most, a very small reduction in body weight or body fat. NIH considers the observed effect too small to have a meaningful impact on health or appearance.
Chromium should therefore not be presented as an effective weight-loss supplement. Diet, physical activity, sleep and overall energy intake have much larger roles in body-weight management.
Final thoughts
Chromium is a trace mineral found in many foods, but its physiological importance is less certain than that of most minerals traditionally classified as essential. U.S. reference values still exist, although more recent research has raised questions about whether chromium is actually required for human health.
Chromium may participate in insulin action and nutrient metabolism, but clinical evidence does not support presenting chromium supplements as a reliable treatment for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, PCOS or weight loss. Effects reported in studies are inconsistent or generally small.
For most people, a varied diet can provide chromium without the need for a separate supplement. The lack of an established upper limit should not be interpreted as evidence that high doses are harmless, particularly for people taking diabetes medications, levothyroxine, or those with kidney or liver conditions.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Chromium: Fact Sheet for Consumers ods.od.nih.gov
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Chromium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals ods.od.nih.gov
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements — Nutrient Recommendations and Databases ods.od.nih.gov
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