Chromium is a necessary mineral found in the body in trace amounts. Chromium is involved in glucose metabolism by aiding the ability of insulin to bring glucose into the cell. Chromium can be obtained through a normal diet that includes meat, cheese, and whole grains. Chromium can also be obtained by taking a nutritional supplement, generally in the form of chromium picolinate,. Chromium picolinate gained notoriety from being advertised as a weight loss supplement. Adverse side effects may occur when too much is consumed.
Kidney and Liver Damage
In the Oct. 15, 1997 issue of the "Annals of Internal Medicine," Dr. Wasser and colleagues describe a patient who experienced kidney failure five months after consuming 600 mcg of chromium picolinate per day for a 6-week period. Additionally, in the Feb. 21, 2006 issue of "Annals of Pharmacotherapy," Dr. Wani and colleagues report an acute kidney failure in a 24-year old male who consumed a supplement containing chromium picolinate for two weeks. It is important to note that the supplement also contained other components which could have contributed to his condition. In a third case reported by Cerulli et al. in an April, 1998 issue of the "Annals of Pharmacotheraphy," a patient experienced both kidney and liver dysfunction after taking 1,200 to 2,400 mcg of chromium picolinate per day for four to five months. She was taking additional medication as well, so it is unknown if the combination played a part in the adverse effect. However, in response to the few serious adverse reports, the Food and Nutrition Board cautions people with preexisting kidney or liver diseases to limit chromium intake.
Damage to DNA
A few studies done in cell culture have demonstrated damage to DNA as a result of chromium picolinate supplementation. However, no studies to date involving human subjects have shown an increase in DNA damage due to chromium picolinate. In addition, the studies involving cell cultures that showed damage to DNA used extremely high doses of chromium picolinate at levels generally not consumed by the public. Finally, research with daily doses as high as 1,000 mcg of chromium picolinate taken for several months has proven safe.
Considerations
According to the literature, adverse side effects to chromium picolinate are rare. However, a few reports of serious side effects have been published. Therefore, caution is advised when choosing to take a chromium picolinate supplement. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA and their quality varies. To minimize risk, contact your health care provider before starting chromium supplementation and follow suggested dosage amounts.
References
- "Annals of Internal Medicine," Chronic renal failure after ingestion of over-the-counter chromium picolinate; Wasser WG, Feldman NS, D'Agati VD; October 1997
- "Annals of Pharmacotherapy," Acute tubular necrosis associated with chromium picolinate-containing dietary supplement; Wani S, Weskamp C, Marple J, Spry L; February 2006
- "Annals of Pharmacotherapy," Chromium picolinate toxicity; Cerulli J, Grabe DW, Gauthier I, Malone M, McGoldrick MD; April 1998
- "Mutation Research," A comparison of the in vitro genotoxicity of tri- and hexavalent chromium; Blasiak J, Kowalik J.; August 2000
- "Chemical Research in Toxicology," The nutritional supplement of chromium (III) tris (picolinate) cleaves DNA; Sppetjens JK, Collins RA, Vincent JB, Woski SA; June 1999
- "The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology," Stearns DM, Wise JP Sr, Patierno SR, Wetterhahn KE; December 1995
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