Chromium
Helps insulin work and supports normal carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
Why it matters
Chromium enhances the action of insulin and is involved in normal carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.
- Supports insulin action.
- Helps with carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
- Participates in normal macronutrient handling.
If intake is too low
Chromium deficiency is rare, but low chromium can impair glucose handling in unusual medical situations such as long-term intravenous feeding without enough chromium.
- Problems with glucose tolerance in rare deficiency states.
- Weight loss, confusion, or neuropathy in severe clinical deficiency.
- Most healthy diets do not produce obvious chromium deficiency.
If intake is too high
No upper limit has been established for chromium, but that does not mean large supplemental doses are proven safe or useful for everyone.
- No established upper limit.
- Very high supplemental doses are not clearly necessary for most people.
- Kidney or liver concerns have been reported in some high-dose supplement cases.
No adult upper limit established
No tolerable upper intake level has been established because consistent harm from dietary chromium has not been confirmed.
Common food sources
Chromium is found in small amounts across many foods, including meats, grains, and some vegetables.
- Meat, poultry, and seafood
- Whole grains and some fortified products
- Broccoli, grape juice, and potatoes
Who may need closer attention
Deficiency is rare, so most people should think about chromium in the context of overall diet quality rather than as a stand-alone target.
- People on long-term parenteral nutrition
- People relying on chromium for diabetes self-treatment
- Anyone stacking blood-sugar supplements without reviewing total doses
Use extra caution if
Small details change the risk picture with nutrients more than most people expect.
You use chromium supplements for blood sugar or weight goals. Marketing claims often go farther than the evidence.
Supplement and label notes
Useful context when this nutrient shows up across more than one product.
- Chromium picolinate is one of the most common supplement forms.
- A blood-sugar supplement blend can already contain chromium even if it is not the front-of-label ingredient.
- Supplement demand for chromium often comes from marketing, not a documented deficiency.
Daily Value targets in SuppMap
These are the same label-style Daily Value targets used in the app.
Official references
These pages were used to draft the summaries on this guide.
Educational only. These pages are not a diagnosis or a substitute for personal medical care.
More guides
Keep moving through the rest of the Daily Value chart from here.