Editing Chromium (section)

===Approved and disapproved health claims===
In 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved a qualified health claim for chromium picolinate with a requirement for specific label wording:

:''"One small study suggests that chromium picolinate may reduce the risk of insulin resistance, and therefore possibly may reduce the risk of type&nbsp;2 diabetes. FDA concludes, however, that the existence of such a relationship between chromium picolinate and either insulin resistance or type&nbsp;2 diabetes is highly uncertain."'' 

In other parts of the petition, the FDA rejected claims for chromium picolinate and cardiovascular disease, retinopathy or kidney disease caused by abnormally high blood sugar levels.<ref>[https://wayback.archive-it.org/7993/20171114183739/https://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/LabelingNutrition/ucm073017.htm FDA Qualified Health Claims: Letters of Enforcement Discretion, Letters of Denial] U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Docket #2004Q-0144 (August 2005).</ref> As of March 2024, this ruling on chromium remains in effect.<ref name="fda-enforce">{{cite web |title=Qualified Health Claims: Letters of Enforcement Discretion |url=https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/qualified-health-claims-letters-enforcement-discretion |publisher=US Food and Drug Administration |access-date=19 October 2024 |date=28 March 2024}}</ref>

In 2010, chromium(III) picolinate was approved by Health Canada to be used in dietary supplements. Approved labeling statements include: a factor in the maintenance of good health, provides support for healthy glucose metabolism, helps the body to metabolize carbohydrates and helps the body to metabolize fats.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=65|title = Monograph: Chromium (from Chromium picolinate)|publisher = Health Canada|date = 9 December 2009|access-date = 18 October 2018|archive-date = 9 May 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200509120406/http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=65|url-status = live}}</ref> The European Food Safety Authority approved claims in 2010 that chromium contributed to normal macronutrient metabolism and maintenance of normal blood glucose concentration, but rejected claims for maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight, or reduction of tiredness or fatigue.<ref name="EFSA2010">[https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1732 Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to chromium and contribution to normal macronutrient metabolism (ID 260, 401, 4665, 4666, 4667), maintenance of normal blood glucose concentrations (ID 262, 4667), contribution to the maintenance or achievement of a normal body weight (ID 339, 4665, 4666), and reduction of tiredness and fatigue (ID 261) pursuant to Article 13(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421163705/https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1732 |date=21 April 2020 }} European Food Safety Authority EFSA J 2010;8(10)1732.</ref> 

However, in a 2014 reassessment of studies to determine whether a Dietary Reference Intake value could be established for chromium, EFSA stated:<ref name=efsa/>

:''"The Panel concludes that no Average Requirement and no Population Reference Intake for chromium for the performance of physiological functions can be defined."'' and

:''"The Panel considered that there is no evidence of beneficial effects associated with chromium intake in healthy subjects. The Panel concludes that the setting of an Adequate Intake for chromium is also not appropriate."''

====Diabetes====
Given the evidence for chromium deficiency causing problems with glucose management in the context of intravenous nutrition products formulated without chromium,<ref name="Stehle2016">{{cite journal|last1 = Stehle|first1 = P|last2 = Stoffel-Wagner|first2 = B|last3 = Kuh|first3 = KS|title = Parenteral trace element provision: recent clinical research and practical conclusions|journal = European Journal of Clinical Nutrition|volume = 70|issue = 8|pages = 886–893|date = 6 April 2014|pmid = 27049031|pmc = 5399133|doi = 10.1038/ejcn.2016.53}}</ref> research interest turned to whether chromium supplementation would benefit people who have type&nbsp;2 diabetes but are not chromium deficient. Looking at the results from four meta-analyses, one reported a statistically significant decrease in fasting [[plasma glucose]] levels and a non-significant trend in lower [[Glycated hemoglobin|hemoglobin A1C]].<ref name="Mauro">{{cite journal|vauthors=San Mauro-Martin I, Ruiz-León AM, Camina-Martín MA, Garicano-Vilar E, Collado-Yurrita L, Mateo-Silleras B, Redondo P|display-authors=3 |title=[Chromium supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes and high risk of type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials] |language = es|journal = Nutr Hosp|volume = 33|issue = 1|page = 27|date = 2016|pmid = 27019254|doi = 10.20960/nh.v33i1.27|doi-broken-date=3 May 2025 }}</ref> A second reported the same,<ref name="Abdoll2013">{{cite journal|last1 = Abdollahi|first1 = M|last2 = Farshchi|first2 = A|last3 = Nikfar|first3 = S|last4 = Seyedifar|first4 = M|title = Effect of chromium on glucose and lipid profiles in patients with type 2 diabetes; a meta-analysis review of randomized trials|journal = J Pharm Pharm Sci|volume = 16|issue = 1|pages = 99–114|date = 2013|pmid = 23683609|doi = 10.18433/J3G022|doi-access = free}}</ref> a third reported significant decreases for both measures,<ref name="Suk2014">{{cite journal |last1 = Suksomboon|first1 = N|last2 = Poolsup|first2 = N|last3 = Yuwanakorn|first3 = A|title = Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of chromium supplementation in diabetes|journal = J Clin Pharm Ther|volume = 39|issue = 3|pages = 292–306|date = 17 March 2013|pmid = 24635480|doi = 10.1111/jcpt.12147 |s2cid = 22326435|doi-access = free}}</ref> while a fourth reported no benefit for either.<ref>{{cite journal |last1 = Bailey|first1 = Christopher H|title = Improved meta-analytic methods show no effect of chromium supplements on fasting glucose|journal = Biol Trace Elem Res|volume = 157|issue = 1|pages = 1–8|date = January 2014|pmid = 24293356|doi = 10.1007/s12011-013-9863-9 | bibcode=2014BTER..157....1B |s2cid = 2441511}}</ref> A review published in 2016 listed 53 [[randomized clinical trial]]s that were included in one or more of six [[meta-analysis|meta-analyses]]. It concluded that whereas there may be modest decreases in fasting blood glucose and/or HbA1C that achieve statistical significance in some of these meta-analyses, few of the trials achieved decreases large enough to be expected to be relevant to clinical outcome.<ref name="Costello2016">{{cite journal|last1 = Costello|first1 = Rebecca B|last2 = Dwyer|first2 = Johanna T|last3 = Bailey|first3 = Regan L|title = Chromium supplements for glycemic control in type 2 diabetes: limited evidence of effectiveness|journal = Nutrition Reviews|volume = 74|issue = 7|pages = 455–468|date = 30 May 2016|pmid = 27261273|pmc = 5009459|doi = 10.1093/nutrit/nuw011}}</ref>

====Body weight====
Two [[systematic review]]s looked at chromium supplements as a mean of managing body weight in overweight and obese people. One, limited to [[chromium picolinate]], a common supplement ingredient, reported a statistically significant −1.1&nbsp;kg (2.4&nbsp;lb) weight loss in trials longer than 12 weeks.<ref name="Tian2013">{{cite journal |last1 = Tian|first1 = Honglian|last2 = Guo|first2 = Xiaohu|last3 = Wang|first3 = Xiyu|last4 = He|first4 = Zhiyun|last5 = Sun|first5 = Rao|last6 = Ge|first6 = Sai|last7 = Zhang|first7 = Zongjiu|title = Chromium picolinate supplementation for overweight or obese adults|journal = Cochrane Database Syst Rev |issue = 11|pages = CD010063|date = 2013| volume=2013 |pmid = 24293292 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD010063.pub2 |pmc = 7433292}}</ref> The other included all chromium compounds and reported a statistically significant −0.50&nbsp;kg (1.1&nbsp;lb) weight change.<ref name = Onakpoya2013>{{cite journal|last1 = Onakpoya|first1 = I|last2 = Posadzki|first2 = P|last3 = Ernst|first3 = E|title = Chromium supplementation in overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials|journal = Obes Rev|volume = 14|issue = 6|pages = 496–507|date = 2013|pmid = 23495911|doi = 10.1111/obr.12026 |s2cid = 21832321}}</ref> Change in percent body fat did not reach statistical significance. Authors of both reviews considered the clinical relevance of this modest weight loss as uncertain/unreliable.<ref name="Tian2013" /><ref name="Onakpoya2013" /> The European Food Safety Authority reviewed the literature and concluded that there was insufficient evidence to support a claim.<ref name=efsa/>

====Sports====
Chromium is promoted as a sports performance dietary supplement, based on the theory that it potentiates insulin activity, with anticipated results of increased muscle mass, and faster recovery of glycogen storage during post-exercise recovery.<ref name="Vincent2010" /><ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Lefavi RG, Anderson RA, Keith RE, Wilson GD, McMillan JL, Stone MH |title=Efficacy of chromium supplementation in athletes: emphasis on anabolism |journal=International Journal of Sport Nutrition |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=111–122 |date=1992 |pmid=1299487 |doi= 10.1123/ijsn.2.2.111}}</ref><ref name="Vinvent2003">{{cite journal |vauthors=Vincent JB |title=The potential value and toxicity of chromium picolinate as a nutritional supplement, weight loss agent and muscle development agent |journal=Sports Med |volume=33 |issue=3 |pages=213–230 |date=2003 |pmid=12656641 |doi= 10.2165/00007256-200333030-00004 |s2cid=9981172 }}</ref> A review of clinical trials reported that chromium supplementation did not improve exercise performance or increase muscle strength.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Jenkinson DM, Harbert AJ |title=Supplements and sports |journal=Am Fam Physician |volume=78 |issue=9 |pages=1039–1046 |date=2008 |pmid=19007050 }}</ref> The International Olympic Committee reviewed dietary supplements for high-performance athletes in 2018 and concluded there was no need to increase chromium intake for athletes, nor support for claims of losing body fat.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Maughan RJ, Burke LM, et al. |title=IOC Consensus Statement: Dietary Supplements and the High-Performance Athlete |journal=International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism |volume=28 |issue=2 |pages=104–125 |date=2018 |pmid=29589768 |pmc=5867441 |doi=10.1123/ijsnem.2018-0020 }}</ref>