The mineral chromium is an essential nutrient, which you must obtain through food or supplements. Several forms of chromium supplements are available, including chromium polynicotinate, also known as chromium nicotinate and chromium niacinate. This form of chromium is bound with niacin, or vitamin B3. Supplement manufacturers provide chromium polynicotinate because niacin increases absorption of this mineral, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Few serious negative effects are associated with high intakes of chromium, notes the ODS. Consult with a qualified health care provider before taking chromium supplements.
Hypoglycemia
Chromium can lower blood sugar levels, and some people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes take the supplements for this purpose. These individuals may need to adjust their dosage of medication for regulating blood sugar, advises the University of Maryland Medical Center. Taking chromium polynicotinate or any other chromium supplements along with medication to regulate blood sugar could lead to low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. Very high doses of chromium have a paradoxical effect--they tend to inhibit the effectiveness of insulin.
Carcinogenic Effects
The adequate intake, or AI, of chromium set by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences is 20 mcg to 45 mcg for adults, according to the ODS. Because high intake of this mineral is generally not associated with negative effects, the Institute of Medicine has not set a tolerable upper intake level, or UL, for chromium. However, the dosage of chromium most effective for treating type 2 diabetes, 1,000 mcg daily, may present some health risks, according to the Swedish Medical Center Health Library. The body may convert this high dosage from the safe form of chromium 3, or trivalent chromium, into chromium 6, or hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen. The Swedish Medical Center cites an article published in the Aug. 27, 2004 issue of "Angewandte Chemie International Edition" noting that insulin-enhancing activity may actually result from the formation of hexavalent chromium. The article authors recommended that people seek medical supervision before taking more than 200 mcg of chromium daily.
Liver Dysfunction
Rare reports of liver dysfunction are linked to high doses of chromium, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A study published in the December 2002 issue of the "European Journal of Internal Medicine" describes a case of acute toxic hepatitis in a patient taking chromium polynicotinate and vegetable extracts for five months. The liver biopsy showed liver chromium levels at over 10 times higher than normal. The risk of chromium toxicity is probably higher in people with pre-existing liver or kidney disease, according to the Swedish Medical Center.
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