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Chromium

Supplement mineral general nutritionfitness
Aka: chromium picolinate, GTF chromium
Brands seen in Singapore: California Gold Nutrition, NOW Foods, MRM Nutrition, Life Extension, Swanson Vitamins
Not medical advice. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change the timing of anything you take.
How to use
What it’s for
Insulin action, glucose/fat metabolism — limited evidence
When to take
Timing not addressed by NIH ODS
Take with
Water · picolinate absorbs ~1.2%, chloride ~0.4%
Pros & cons
Pros
  • HSA allows 'healthy blood glucose' support claims
  • Small daily need: ai 35 mcg men, 25 mcg women
  • Picolinate absorbs ~1.2% vs ~0.4% for chloride
Cons
  • NIH ODS: insufficient rationale in type 2 diabetes
  • Weight-loss effects have 'little clinical significance'
  • NIH ODS: supplements 'might cause' kidney, liver harm
Sources
  1. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Introduction (role; essentiality — FNB 2001 vs EFSA 2014) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “potentiating insulin action … carbohydrate, lipid, and protein metabolism … [EFSA, 2014] no convincing evidence shows that chromium is an essential nutrient … not an essential mineral because an absence or deficiency of chromium does not produce abnormalities that can be reversed”
  2. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Table 1 Adequate Intakes · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “[AI] 19–50 years: Male 35 mcg, Female 25 mcg, Pregnancy 30 mcg, Lactation 45 mcg … 51+ years: Male 30 mcg, Female 20 mcg”
  3. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Dietary Supplements (forms, absorption) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “chromium picolinate, chromium nicotinate, chromium polynicotinate, chromium chloride, and chromium histidinate … proportion of chromium absorbed from chromium picolinate is about 1.2%, whereas that from chromium chloride is about 0.4%”
  4. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Chromium and Health — impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes; weight loss · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “insufficient rationale to recommend chromium supplements for people with type 2 diabetes … [weight and lean body mass] effects have little clinical significance”
  5. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Health Risks from Excessive Chromium (UL) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “[the FNB] did not establish a UL for chromium … no adverse effects have been linked to high intakes”
  6. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Health Risks from Excessive Chromium (case reports; susceptible groups) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “chromium supplements might cause weight loss, anemia, thrombocytopenia, liver dysfunction, renal failure, rhabdomyolysis, dermatitis, and hypoglycemia … people with renal and liver disease might be susceptible to adverse effects from high chromium intakes”
  7. NIH ODS — Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (Updated: June 2, 2022) — Interactions with Medications · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “Taking chromium concomitantly with insulin could increase the risk of hypoglycemia … [metformin and other antidiabetes medications] might increase the risk of hypoglycemia … decreases levothyroxine absorption over 6 hours … prostaglandin inhibitors, such as aspirin, increase chromium absorption … antacids inhibit”
  8. FDA — Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels, Reference Guide: Daily Values for Nutrients (content current as of 03/05/2024) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “DVs are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume or not to exceed each day … Chromium 35mcg”
  9. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), clause 4.8 + Table 5 Minerals Limits · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “4.8 HS for use by the general adult population should not contain vitamins and minerals exceeding the stipulated limits stated in Tables 4 and 5 … Table 5: Minerals Limits … Chromium 0.5 mg”
  10. HSA Singapore — Health Supplements Guidelines GL-CHPB-3-001 Rev. No. 020 (January 2026), List of Health Claims (vitamins and minerals) · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “6. Help support/maintain healthy blood glucose levels • Chromium … 90. Provide support for healthy glucose metabolism • Chromium”
  11. HSA Singapore — Guidelines on Prohibited and Restricted Ingredients in Health Supplements and Traditional Medicines, GL-CHPB-1-012 Rev. No. 001 (October 2025), Annex A · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “27. Chromium — Restricted use in HS and TM — Maximum Daily Dose: When for oral use by general adult population, the maximum recommended daily dose should not provide more than 0.5mg”
  12. iHerb Singapore — Chromium category page (Supplements > Minerals > Chromium), default order, 81 results — positions 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 · read 2026-08-27
    what it says
    “California Gold Nutrition, Sugar Balance Complex with Chromium … NOW Foods, Chromium Picolinate, 200 mcg … MRM Nutrition, Chromium Picolinate … (200 mcg per Capsule) … Life Extension, Optimized Chromium with Crominex® 3+, 500 mcg … Swanson Vitamins, Chromium Picolinate, 200 mcg”
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Updated 2026-08-29. Every line above traces to a numbered source. Kozen-X is not a medical device and does not give medical advice. It lists what published sources have written down — nothing more. A pair not listed is unrecorded, not cleared. Before you start, stop or re-time anything, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.