Chromium picolinate is a combination of the mineral chromium, a trace element necessary in minute amounts and picolinic acid. Adding picolinic acid to chromium aids in chromium absorption. Chromium picolinate is used to increase weight loss, improve blood glucose levels, lower cholesterol levels and treat depression, with varying degrees of effectiveness. The daily adult requirement for adults is 30 micrograms; many daily vitamins contain 60 to 120 micrograms. The beneficial dose for supplements is not determined, but doses as high as 1,000 micrograms or more are available in supplements. Like any supplement, chromium picolinate can have side effects.
Stomach Irritation
Stomach irritation along with vomiting and diarrhea can occur in some people taking chromium picolinate, according to the eMedTV and the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you vomit blood or if blood appears in the stool, notify your doctor immediately.
Disturbances in Thinking
Some case studies report incidence of difficulty thinking, sometimes described as mental "short circuiting", a report by Amanda Allen of the Vanderbilt University Psychology Department states. Trouble concentrating, headaches, irritability and insomnia and other sleep disturbances can also occur, eMedTV reports. Although the exact dose of chromium picolinate taken in these cases isn't reported, low doses of chromium picolinate, such as are found in most multivitamins, are less likely to cause side effects than higher dose supplements.
Kidney Damage
Several studies report kidney damage in people taking daily doses between 600 and 2,400 micrograms of chromium picolinate, the Linus Pauling Institute website reports. One person who took 600 micrograms of the supplement for six weeks experienced kidney failure five months later, while others developed kidney failure after taking doses between 1,200 and 2,400 micrograms for 4 to 5 months. One healthy young male developed acute kidney failure after taking chromium picolinate for just two weeks. Signs of kidney damage include increased or decreased urination.
Liver Damage
Liver damage can also occur when taking chromium picolinate, but most often occurs at higher doses than 100 micrograms, between 1,200 and 2,400 micrograms per day, the Linus Pauling Institute reports.
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