Chromium (Trivalent)

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Trivalent chromium [Cr(III)] is a trace mineral present naturally in meats, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and brewer's yeast. It is added to dietary supplements and fortified foods, and has historically been associated with carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, although its essentiality in humans remains scientifically contested.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

EFSA (2014) concluded that no dietary reference value for chromium can be established, as essentiality in humans has not been substantiated. Trivalent chromium from food and supplements does not appear to cause harm at normal dietary intakes; WHO recommends supplemental intake not exceed 250 µg/day. People with kidney or liver disease should exercise caution with high-dose supplements, and interactions with insulin and antidiabetic medications may cause hypoglycemia.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	EFSA NDA Panel (2014, EFSA Journal 12(10):3845) concluded that no Average Requirement, Population Reference Intake, or Adequate Intake for chromium can be defined, as evidence for Cr(III) essentiality in human nutrition has not been substantiated. No UL was set.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Chromium is listed as a permitted micronutrient ingredient in health supplements and nutraceuticals under the Food Safety and Standards (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, Food for Special Medical Purpose, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations. Products intended for children 2–5 years are to be used only under medical advice. No specific maximum daily intake is codified in publicly available compendium documents.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Daily Value (DV) set at 35 µg for adults and children ≥4 years under the 2016 Food Labeling revision. FDA issued a qualified health claim for chromium picolinate and reduced risk of insulin resistance as a surrogate for type 2 diabetes. Regulated as a dietary supplement ingredient under DSHEA; not classified as a food additive.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Kidney Disease — NIH ODS guidance explicitly advises people with kidney disease to be cautious about taking high amounts of chromium supplements, as impaired renal clearance may increase accumulation and toxicity risk.

Liver Disease — NIH ODS guidance advises people with liver disease to exercise caution with chromium supplement use given the liver's central role in metabolism and the potential for chromium accumulation at elevated intakes.

Diabetes — Chromium supplements may potentiate the action of insulin and antidiabetes medications (e.g., metformin, insulin therapy), potentially causing hypoglycemia; the American Diabetes Association does not recommend routine chromium supplementation due to lack of clear benefit.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1other. Chromium – Health Professional Fact Sheet. ods.od.nih.gov
2EFSA. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for chromium, 2014. efsa.europa.eu
3EFSA. Chromium in food and drinking water, 2014. efsa.europa.eu
4EFSA. Safety of trivalent chromium as a nutrient added for nutritional purposes to foodstuffs for particular nutritional uses and foods intended for the general population, 2010. efsa.europa.eu
5FDA. Chromium picolinate intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: an evidence-based review by the United States Food and Drug Administration, 2006. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Independently researched5 citations