Chromium

How strong is the research?

1 paper read.

Tested as: Chromium picolinate 1000 mcg/day

Who was studied: 26 older adults whose memory had begun to slip.

We found 1 study on this. We have not finished reading them yet, so we are not ready to say either way.

How much to take

1000 mcg

Before you take it

• No formal Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) established by the Food and Nutrition Board (IOM, 2001) due to insufficient long-term safety data; potential harm at high doses cannot be excluded, particularly in patients with renal or hepatic impairment, where isolated case reports link high-dose chromium supplementation to nephrotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, and rhabdomyolysis.
• Insulin and antidiabetes medications (metformin, sulfonylureas): chromium picolinate may potentiate glucose-lowering effects, increasing hypoglycemia risk; patients on these medications should consult a prescriber before supplementing.
• Levothyroxine: concurrent administration of chromium picolinate and levothyroxine reduced thyroxine area-under-the-curve by approximately 17% in a small study (n=7); separate administration is recommended (take levothyroxine at least 30 minutes before or 3–4 hours after chromium picolinate).
• Fluoroquinolone and tetracycline-class antibiotics: chromium may chelate with these antibiotics in the GI tract and reduce their absorption; take chromium at least 2 hours before or 4–6 hours after the antibiotic dose.
• The FDA permits only a 'highly qualified health claim' for chromium picolinate in relation to blood sugar and insulin resistance — one of the lowest regulatory confidence categories — stating the relationship is 'highly uncertain.'
• Available evidence does not support genotoxic risk from chromium picolinate at typical supplemental doses (≤1,000 mcg/day elemental Cr) per NIH ODS and EFSA safety consensus through 2024; long-term safety data beyond this dose range remain insufficient.

When to take it

Best taken: with food