What it does in the body
- Insulin potentiation and glucose metabolism
- Lipid metabolism (may improve HDL and reduce triglycerides)
- Macronutrient metabolism
- Body composition regulation
- Potential role in gene expression via chromodulin
How much you need (Daily Value)
| Group | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male | 35 mcg (AI) | NIH/IOM |
| Adult female | 25 mcg (AI) | NIH/IOM |
| Pregnancy | 30 mcg (AI) | IOM |
| Children | 11 mcg (1-3y), 15 mcg (4-8y), 21-35 mcg (9-18y) | NIH/IOM |
| Older adults | 30 mcg (men), 20 mcg (women, >50) | NIH/IOM |
Richest food sources
| Food | Amount | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 11 mcg per 100g | global |
| Grape juice | 8 mcg per 100ml | global |
| Whole wheat bread | 10 mcg per 100g | global |
| Beef | 2 mcg per 100g | global |
| Turkey breast | 2 mcg per 100g | Americas |
| Green beans | 2 mcg per 100g | global |
| Brewer's yeast | 112 mcg per 100g | global (supplement) |
| Red wine | 1-13 mcg per 100ml | global |
If you don't get enough
Mild: Mild glucose intolerance, elevated fasting glucose
Moderate: Insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, elevated triglycerides, decreased HDL
Severe: Peripheral neuropathy, encephalopathy, weight loss (documented in TPN patients only)
Time to onset: Documented severe deficiency only in prolonged TPN without chromium (months). Dietary deficiency is debated.
Too much
Upper limit: No established UL. Trivalent chromium (Cr3+) has wide safety margin. Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+) is a known carcinogen — different from dietary form.
Very high supplemental doses (1200+ mcg): kidney damage, liver dysfunction. Isolated case reports of rhabdomyolysis with chromium picolinate. Hexavalent chromium (industrial exposure): lung cancer, dermatitis.
How well you absorb it
0.4-2.5% from diet (very low); organic forms better absorbed
Helped by: Vitamin C (enhances absorption), Niacin (forms glucose tolerance factor with chromium), Amino acids (picolinate, histidine)
Hindered by: Phytate, High iron intake, Antacids (raise pH, reducing Cr3+ absorption), Simple sugars (increase urinary chromium losses)
Cooking & storage
Chromium can leach from stainless steel cookware into food, especially with acidic foods. This is generally a beneficial source of dietary chromium. Processing and refining foods reduces chromium content significantly.
Nutrisize Health totals every nutrient from what you actually eat, against targets set for your age and sex, and flags what's short — across 4,995 foods, on your device.
