


Most of these conditions tend to have something in common with diabetes. However, the results haven’t been clear enough for the American Diabetes Association to recommend it as a treatment.Ĭhromium may be more effective for people with more severe insulin resistance, though it’s not totally clear why this is.Īside from diabetes, chromium might be helpful in the treatment of: While 2014 research suggests that chromium supplementation can improve blood sugar management and reduce insulin resistance in people with type II diabetes, that’s not necessarily true across the board.Ī 2016 review of many trials found positive impacts of chromium supplementation on regulating insulin levels. True chromium deficiencies among healthy people have never been reported.Ĭhromium plays an important role in breaking down carbohydrates, which is why it has long been studied as a possible treatment for diseases like diabetes. Most people are able to meet the daily requirements for chromium without supplementation. Stainless steel pots and pans you may cook with can even be a small source of the element, as they transfer some of their chromium to the food you’re preparing.Ī third form of chromium - chromium picolinate - is generally what you’ll find in supplements, since it’s the easiest form of chromium for the body to absorb.Īs an adult, the baseline amount of chromium you should be consuming ranges between 20 to 45 micrograms (mcg), depending on your:įor example, while an infant only requires 0.2 mcg for proper functioning, a 30-year-old male probably needs at least 35 mcg per day. Grape juice and broccoli have some of the highest levels of naturally occurring chromium.

The amount of chromium in any given food varies widely based on where and how it was grown and produced. Trivalent chromium occurs naturally in many different foods, including:

Chromium is a trace element that helps your body break down carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
