Chromium
Of 8,104 on-market chromium products in the January 2026 DSLD dump, the median declared dose is 100 elemental mcg, and 36.6% list unspecified/undisclosed form as the primary form.
Form share
Of 7,773 products with an identifiable primary form, here is the share held by each form of Chromium on the market today.
| Form | Quality tier | n | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| unspecified/undisclosed form | Unrated | 2,847 | 36.6% |
| Chromium Picolinate | Tier 1 | 1,909 | 24.6% |
| Chromium Polynicotinate | Tier 2 | 1,211 | 15.6% |
| Chromium Chloride | Tier 3 | 700 | 9.0% |
| Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate | Unrated | 661 | 8.5% |
| Chromium Amino Acid Chelate | Unrated | 445 | 5.7% |
Form share over time
Entry-year breakdown of the top forms, 2012–2025.
Dose distribution
Deciles of declared dose per serving (elemental mcg), among 7,429 products with a disclosed amount, against the RDA of 35.
- 24.7% of products fall below the fairy-dust threshold (40 mcg, 20% of the studied low dose).
- 1.6% of products don't disclose an amount because Chromium is declared inside a proprietary blend.
By dosage form
By target group
Top brands
Forms explained
Label discloses only "Chromium" with no salt form.
Elemental fraction: 12.4% (Cr(C6H4NO2)3, anhydrous, MW 418.3)
Produced significantly higher 24h urinary Cr than chloride/nicotinate forms in a randomized crossover; the form used in the positive Anderson 1997 glycemic-control RCT.
Source: DiSilvestro RA, Dy E. 2007, J Trace Elem Med Biol 21(2):120-4, PMID 17499152; Anderson RA et al. 1997, PMID 9356027
Elemental fraction: 19.5% (CrCl3 x 6H2O, hexahydrate (commercially/laboratory-standard soluble form; anhydrous CrCl3 at 0.328 is a poorly-soluble solid rarely used directly -- flagged assumption))
Produced significantly lower 24h urinary Cr than picolinate in the same crossover study -- cheapest/most common multivitamin form but weakest absorption signal.
Source: DiSilvestro RA, Dy E. 2007, PMID 17499152
Nicotinate-based forms absorbed better than chloride but worse than picolinate in the same comparative study.
Source: DiSilvestro RA, Dy E. 2007, PMID 17499152 (form-class evidence, not this specific branded complex)
No dedicated bioavailability study on this specific named complex was located.
Source: none found -- insufficient evidence
No dedicated human or animal comparative bioavailability study for this named complex was located.
Source: none found -- insufficient evidence
Reference values
- RDA (adult): 35 elemental mcg — Adequate Intake, no RDA established: 35mcg (men 19-50, 30mcg 51+); 25mcg (women 19-50, 20mcg 51+)
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (adult): not established — Not established -- insufficient evidence of adverse effects from excess intake
- Studied clinical dose range: 200–1000 mcg
- Anderson RA et al. 1997, Diabetes 46(11):1786-91, PMID 9356027 -- RCT (n=180) type 2 diabetics, 200mcg vs 1000mcg/day chromium picolinate x4 months; 1000mcg arm showed significantly lower fasting glucose/insulin/HbA1c; 200mcg arm weaker/less consistent.