Nutrient deficiencyOne of 30 articles on this topicAll minerals at a glance

Chromium deficiency: symptoms, effects and tablets

Craving sweets, feeling tired, gaining weight, and chromium is supposedly to blame? A genuine chromium deficiency is so rare that it's almost only described with artificial nutrition. Which symptoms really fit, what tablets actually do, and where chromium is found.

Gregor AßlaberJoerg Hauke
Gregor Aßlaber, Saturo editor · ✓Fachlich geprüft von Joerg Hauke, Nutrition expert
Aktualisiert 1 October 2026 · 16 Min. Lesezeit · 60 Quellen
In 30 seconds
Chromreiche Lebensmittel auf Travertin: Walnüsse, Haselnüsse, Cashews, Kürbiskerne, Chiasamen, Spinat, Champignons, Vollkornbrot, Sardinen, Lamm, Emmentaler und Mango
24CrChromium
Chromium sources at a glance: walnuts, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds and chia seeds lead the pack; spinach, mushrooms, wholegrain bread, sardines, lamb and cheese provide small contributions.

The essentials in 30 seconds

DGE estimate
30 to 100µg

This much chromium per day is considered adequate for teenagers and adults, derived in 2000 and unchanged since. It's a range, not a requirement: nobody knows the threshold below which something's actually missing.

Reaches the blood
0.4 to 2.5%

That's as much chromium from food as the gut lets through. What gets through attaches to transferrin, ends up in the liver, spleen and bones, and leaves again via the kidneys.

Documented deficiency cases
5cases

This is how many people with suspected chromium deficiency are known in the scientific literature, all after years of intravenous feeding, between 1977 and 1998. None has ever been found in healthy people.

Most chromium is found in
nuts

According to the German Federal Food Code, a handful of walnuts provides around 40 µg, while meat, milk and eggs provide almost none. Adults in Germany eat an average of 61 to 84 µg a day, right in the middle of the estimated range.

01 Recognise

Chromium deficiency symptoms: how to spot it

Chromium (Cr), like manganese, is a trace element found in tiny amounts in nuts, wholegrains and legumes. A genuine chromium deficiency has never been described in a healthy person. The scientific literature knows about five cases, all after years of intravenous feeding. The symptom lists online stem from these isolated cases or from studies using chromium supplements in people without a deficiency. Here's what's actually backed up.
Interactive

Could a chromium deficiency be behind your symptoms?

Tap whatever applies to you. The first three points describe the situation in which chromium deficiency has actually been documented; the rest are the signs from the case reports.

Not a diagnostic tool. There's no validated test for chromium deficiency. Blood sugar, weight loss, tingling and confusion all have many causes, and all of them belong in a doctor's office.

Chromium deficiency symptoms in women

There are no symptoms that only affect women. The reference values just differ in amount: the US sets 25 µg for women and 35 µg for men, while the DGE makes no distinction. What women search for more often, hair loss, cycle, weight, isn't documented anywhere as a sign of chromium deficiency. In PCOS, chromium supplements have been tested in studies; fasting insulin dropped slightly, but the authors call the effects small and uncertain, and no participant had a confirmed deficiency. If you're tired and losing hair, check ferritin and TSH first.
Reaching for chocolate in the evening: cravings for sweets aren't a proven sign of chromium deficiency
Reaching for chocolate in the evening has many causes. According to the evidence, chromium deficiency isn't one of them, even if manufacturers like to tell a different story.

Craving sweets: is it the chromium?

Not proven. No case report names cravings as a sign of deficiency. What does exist are two small studies with chromium picolinate in people without a deficiency: 113 patients with atypical depression received 600 µg a day; their depression scores didn't change, only individual questions about appetite and carb cravings improved. 42 overweight women ate slightly less over eight weeks while taking chromium. The NIH calls this "preliminary research". There's no EU claim for cravings. Cravings usually have other causes: lack of sleep, long gaps between meals, stress, blood sugar swings.

Chromium deficiency and weight gain: what's true?

There's no evidence in humans that a chromium deficiency causes weight gain. In the case reports, the opposite happened: patients lost weight, up to 15% of their body weight. The idea comes from animal studies, and they contradict each other: rats on a strictly chromium-poor diet stayed unchanged in one study, while in another they put on more fat on a high-fat, high-sugar diet. If you're gaining weight without eating differently, get your thyroid checked and look at sleep, medication and exercise, not chromium.

Chromium and mental health: what's behind it?

A link between chromium deficiency and depression is not proven. The largest study, 113 patients with atypical depression, found no difference from placebo on depression scales under 600 µg of chromium picolinate. A 2025 review calls chromium "interesting for future research", nothing more. For concentration and memory, there's one pilot study with 26 older adults that showed less susceptibility to distraction while learning, but no better recall. If you're thinking about nutrients during a mood slump, you're better off looking at vitamin B12, vitamin D and iron.
When to see a doctor

For persistent fatigue, hair loss or cravings, a blood test checking ferritin, TSH, vitamin B12, vitamin D and fasting glucose is worthwhile, not chromium. A chromium test only makes sense with intravenous feeding or after high-dose supplements, and then it's the treatment team's call.

Chromium deficiency and skin and hair

There is not a single human study linking hair loss, dry skin or acne to chromium deficiency. Neither the NIH nor MSD lists skin or hair as deficiency signs, and the cosmetics sites that recommend chromium "for the hair root" cite no source. Skin only reacts to chromium in one direction: as a contact allergy to chromium(VI) from leather and cement, and in isolated cases as a rash after chromium tablets (chapter 7). For hair loss, iron, zinc, the thyroid and genetics matter more. The table below sums up all the search terms.
Symptom check

What actually fits chromium deficiency

Twelve complaints people search for most often, and what the sources say: proven (case reports under intravenous feeding), weakly supported (only as a supplement effect in small studies), unproven (no human data).

What the studies sayClassification
Raised blood sugar, glucose intoleranceIn all case reports under parenteral nutrition, reversed by chromium; causality unclear according to the EFSAProven (case reports only)
Weight lossUp to 15% of body weight in the case reportsProven (case reports only)
Tingling, numbness, unsteady gaitPeripheral neuropathy in three cases, even with elevated serum chromiumProven (case reports only)
ConfusionOne case after bowel resection, resolved under 150 µg of chromiumProven (case report only)
Raised blood fatsFree fatty acids elevated in the first case; supplements don't lower blood fats in meta-analysesProven (case report only)
Craving sweetsTwo small supplement studies without deficiency, primary endpoints missedWeakly supported
Concentration, memoryOne pilot study with 26 older adults, learning rate unchangedWeakly supported
Mood, depression113 patients, no difference from placeboWeakly supported
Fatigue, exhaustionNo deficiency source; EU claim "reduces fatigue" rejectedUnproven
Weight gainNo human data; case reports show weight lossUnproven
Skin, hair lossNo human study foundUnproven
ThyroidNo link described; only proven effect is that chromium picolinate slows down levothyroxineUnproven

Classification based on the sources in chapter 8 (Jeejeebhoy 1977, Freund 1979, Brown 1986, Verhage 1996, EFSA 2014, NIH ODS, Docherty 2005, Anton 2008, Krikorian 2010, Bertinato 2023, John-Kalarickal 2007, EU register). As of 1 October 2026.

02 Causes

Chromium deficiency causes: who's actually affected

The honest answer: almost nobody. Neither the EFSA, nor the NIH, nor German consumer advice centres name a risk group for dietary chromium deficiency; according to the Verbraucherzentrale, there's no evidence of undersupply in Germany. The one documented cause occurs in the clinic, and the question "how much do I need?" has a surprisingly vague answer.

Artificial feeding: the only documented trigger

All case reports follow the same pattern: intravenous feeding (parenteral nutrition) over months to years, usually after major bowel surgery or bowel failure, with solutions that contained no chromium. Blood sugar then rose, weight fell, nerves tingled, and 150 to 250 µg of chromium in the infusion reversed this within two weeks. Today's trace element solutions contain 10 to 15 µg of chromium per day, which is why the ESPEN guideline calls the problem "rare, except when chromium is missing from the formulation". It also names severe burns, trauma and infections as additional risk situations, because the body excretes more chromium then; but a resulting deficiency isn't documented.
Infusion bag on a stand: intravenous feeding without added chromium is the only situation in which a chromium deficiency has been described
This is the only place a chromium deficiency has ever been documented: during years of intravenous feeding, back when the solutions still contained no chromium. Today it's a standard component.

Sugar, stress and sport: does your need increase?

All three increase chromium excretion in urine, but a resulting deficiency isn't proven. In a 1986 study, 37 people ate a diet with 35% of calories from simple sugars for six weeks; in 27 of them, chromium loss in urine rose by 10 to 300%. After a ten-kilometre run, daily excretion doubled in nine runners, and cortisone tablets also raised it in a small study. Only urine was ever measured, never a deficiency; the authors speak of a "possible marginal deficiency", which is as much as the data can support.

Chromium and diabetes: are diabetics short on chromium?

No, chromium deficiency isn't proven in type 2 diabetes, and there's no test that could show it. The idea comes from the case reports (blood sugar rose without chromium) and from supplement studies: in a Chinese study with 180 diabetics, 1,000 µg of chromium picolinate significantly lowered HbA1c, but later studies could only partly replicate this. Meta-analyses find small effects with extreme variability, and none at all in people without diabetes. The diabetes associations ADA (2026) and DDG (2024) advise against chromium for blood sugar control, as does the ESPEN. More on this in chapter 5.

How much chromium per day?

The DGE sets an estimated value of 30 to 100 µg a day for teenagers and adults, derived in 2000 and unchanged in the 2025 edition; children aged 7 to 15 get 20 to 100 µg, and pregnant and breastfeeding women get no increase. The US sets 35 µg for men and 25 µg for women, rising to 45 µg while breastfeeding. The EFSA set no value at all in 2014, because it sees no evidence of a role for chromium in metabolism. The nutrient reference value on labels is 40 µg. The range applies equally to all adults and is easily met with nuts, wholegrains and legumes without any extra thought.
03 Understand

Chromium effect: what chromium does in the body

Three stops from the walnut to the kidney. Anyone who knows them understands why so little chromium reaches the blood, why the insulin story is a hypothesis, and why experts still argue over whether chromium is essential to life at all. Upfront: we always mean chromium(III) from food, not the toxic chromium(VI) from industry (chapter 7).

1

Absorption: The gut lets almost nothing through

Of the 30 to 100 µg in food, only 0.4 to 2.5% makes it into the blood; from supplements, depending on the compound, it's 0.1 to 5%. With a low intake the rate rises slightly, with a generous intake it falls. Vitamin C with a meal boosts absorption, while antacids and phytate from bran slow it down. In the blood, chromium attaches to transferrin, the same protein that transports iron, and is deposited in the liver, spleen, soft tissue and bones. There's no measurable store.

2

Effect: an insulin helper, but only as a hypothesis

The textbook explanation goes like this: chromium binds to a small protein called chromodulin, which activates the insulin receptor and gets sugar into the cell faster. In 2014, the EFSA rated the existence and function of chromodulin as "unclear"; the mechanism remains unconfirmed to this day. Still, two EU health claims are approved: chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism and to the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels. And the big question remains open: the DGE calls chromium essential, the EFSA sees "no evidence", and the NIH explicitly calls it non-essential, because its absence doesn't cause a disorder that chromium then fixes.

3

Excretion: via the kidneys, more with sugar and sport

What's absorbed leaves the body almost entirely via urine, with small amounts via sweat and bile. A sugar-rich diet, endurance sport, cortisone, infections and burns measurably increase excretion. That's exactly why the urine value works as a measure of intake over the last few days, but not of your stores. And that's why no marker, whether blood, urine or hair, shows how much chromium someone has in their body. In everyday terms: chromium from food doesn't run short, and an excess from food is just as undescribed.

04 Diagnosis

Diagnosing chromium deficiency: what a test shows

Chromium can be measured in the blood, but the value doesn't answer the deficiency question. The EFSA, NIH and ESPEN nutrition specialists agree: there's no validated marker for chromium status. The diagnosis of chromium deficiency does have a code (ICD-10 E61.4), but no test that can confirm it.

Chromium in the blood: why the value says little

It's measured in serum (German labs: below 0.5 µg/l) or whole blood (below 1.0 µg/l). Three problems: the amounts are so tiny that even the stainless-steel needle can contaminate the sample, so labs require a special tube. The value reflects intake over the last few days, not your stores. And it doesn't match the clinical picture: in a 1996 case report, a patient with neuropathy and high blood sugar had elevated serum chromium, yet still improved within four days under chromium infusion. The ESPEN advises against routine checks: "Serum chromium can be measured, but is rarely needed."

Chromium deficiency test and hair analysis

A urine test shows how much chromium was absorbed over the last few days, and spikes with sugar, sport or stress without anything actually being deficient. A hair analysis sounds tempting because hair stores past intake, but it's not a recognised method: the Verbraucherzentrale advises against it, after Stiftung Warentest got completely different results for the same person depending on the lab. If you're worried about fatigue, cravings or weight, get the values measured that actually explain something: fasting glucose and HbA1c, ferritin, TSH, vitamin B12 and vitamin D. A chromium value only belongs in the lab with intravenous feeding, and then it's the treatment team that orders it.
05 Treatment

Fixing a chromium deficiency: what actually helps

For healthy people, there's no such thing as chromium therapy, because there's no deficiency to treat. The real questions are different: What do the tablets from the drugstore and pharmacy actually do, do they help with weight loss, and at what point does chromium become too much? Here are the answers, with numbers.

Chromium tablets: who they actually make sense for

Almost no one. Standard products usually contain 200 µg of chromium as picolinate or chloride, three times the 60 µg that the BfR considers acceptable per daily dose. In people without diabetes, a meta-analysis of 15 studies shows no effect on blood sugar or insulin. In type 2 diabetes, meta-analyses find small reductions in fasting glucose and HbA1c, but with such wide variation that only 5 of 20 studies reached the treatment target; the ADA, DDG and ESPEN advise against it. Chromium only makes sense in medical hands: in the trace element solution for intravenous feeding, and as a trial for severely ill people with extreme insulin resistance. The decision tool below sorts your situation.
Interactive

Do you need chromium tablets?

Three questions, one pointer to the right chapter. This doesn't replace advice, but it shows why the answer is almost always the same.

1Are you fed intravenously, or have you had major bowel surgery with artificial nutrition?

Not a diagnostic tool and not a dosage recommendation. Basis: ESPEN micronutrient guideline 2022, BfR maximum levels 2021/2024, MSD Manual 2025, Cochrane 2013, ADA 2026, DDG 2024. Products above 60 µg only after consulting a doctor.

Chromium for weight loss: what the studies show

Statistically measurable, practically meaningless. The 2013 Cochrane review (9 studies, 622 overweight people) found chromium picolinate led to about 1.1 kg less weight than placebo after 12 to 16 weeks, with low-quality evidence and three serious adverse events at doses of 400 to 1,000 µg. A 2019 meta-analysis with 1,316 participants arrives at 0.75 kg. Over more than ten years of studies, chromium had no effect on the body composition of healthy people, even with strength training; the EU has rejected all health claims relating to weight and fat loss. If you want to lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, protein and sleep, not a trace element.
A small pill box and a glass of water on the kitchen table: chromium products usually contain 200 µg, three times the BfR maximum level
The standard tablet delivers 200 µg, three times what the BfR considers acceptable in a food supplement. According to the evidence, almost no one actually needs it.

Too much chromium in the body: symptoms of overdose

Overdose from food has never been described; neither the EU nor the US could derive an upper limit, because nothing happened in studies even at up to 1,000 µg a day. The EFSA considers additional intake of up to 250 µg a day safe. Things turned dangerous in individual cases at ten to forty times that amount: a 33-year-old took 1,200 to 2,400 µg of chromium picolinate for five months to lose weight and developed kidney failure, liver damage, anaemia and weight loss; a bodybuilder suffered muscle breakdown after 1,200 µg in 48 hours. Both recovered. Other case reports mention skin rash and hypoglycaemia. The steps below show where each number sits.

From estimated value to too much: chromium in numbers

  1. 1 Estimated value30 to 100 µg

    DGE range for teenagers and adults, as of 2000, unchanged in 2025. A handful of walnuts provides a calculated 40 µg, a bottle of drinkable meal 18 µg. The reference value on labels is 40 µg.

  2. 2 Maximum level in a product60 µg

    BfR's proposed figure per daily dose of a food supplement, derived in 2021, confirmed in 2024. Standard chromium tablets with 200 µg are three times this.

  3. 3 No concerns250 µg

    Up to this point, the EFSA saw no safety concerns in 2010 regarding additional chromium(III) from supplements; there is no actual upper limit in either the EU or the US.

  4. 4 Case reports1,200 µg

    From this daily dose of chromium picolinate upwards, individual case reports describe kidney failure, liver damage and muscle breakdown, at 1,200 to 2,400 µg over months or 1,200 µg within two days.

DGE/ÖGE 2025; BfR proposed maximum levels 2021 and 2024; EFSA ANS 2010; SCF 2003 and NIH ODS (no UL); Cerulli 1998, Martin 1998.

When is the best time to take chromium?

For healthy people, not at all, and there's no study on time of day. If you're prescribed a product by a doctor, take it with a meal alongside a bit of vitamin C, which improves absorption, and not together with antacids, which slow it down. Leave several hours' gap with levothyroxine, because chromium picolinate reduces the absorption of thyroid hormone. With insulin or sulfonylureas, monitor blood sugar closely. And importantly: chromium slows iron absorption, because both compete for transferrin; if you already have low iron stores, chromium tablets are more likely to make them worse.

Chromium is the trace element where advertising and science diverge the most. In practice, I've never come across anyone who was actually deficient in chromium, but I have met several people who tried to kill their sugar cravings with 200-microgram tablets and ended up only poorer. My advice: put nuts on the table, cut back on sugar, and if you take diabetes medication, keep your hands off chromium without asking first.

Joerg Hauke, Nutrition expert, technical review of this article

That leaves the question of form. Chromium picolinate is absorbed slightly better (around 1.2%) than chromium chloride (0.4%), both within the range of absorption from food. Chromium researcher John Vincent has warned since 2003 of possible DNA damage from picolinate in cell and animal studies, while the EFSA saw no concerns up to 250 µg in 2010. Brewer's yeast supplements advertise the "glucose tolerance factor", a substance postulated since 1959 and never chemically identified. If you take chromium, the main thing is to add up the milligrams across all your products: multivitamins, blood sugar capsules and weight-loss supplements often contain it at the same time.
Diabetes medication and chromium

If you take insulin, sulfonylureas or other blood-sugar-lowering medication, don't start a chromium supplement without checking with your doctor first: the combination can lower blood sugar too much. The MSD Manual advises people with diabetes against chromium altogether, unless a diabetes specialist is overseeing its use.

06 Nutrition

Chromium in food: where you'll find the most

Chromium is found in nuts, seeds and cocoa, by a clear margin. Wholegrain, legumes, mushrooms and spinach contribute small amounts, while meat, milk and eggs contribute almost nothing. The bars show both worlds according to the Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel 4.0, the only German database with chromium values. An honest note up front: chromium is hard to measure, values vary widely depending on soil, processing and lab, and only a small portion of the figures come from original analyses. They show the order of magnitude, not the decimal point.

Chromium per 100 g: top 10 plant-based and top 10 animal-based

  1. Walnuts: 145 µg
  2. Cashew nuts, roasted: 125 µg
  3. Brazil nuts: 107 µg
  4. Pine nuts: 75 µg
  5. Chia seeds: 73 µg
  6. Hazelnuts: 68 µg
  7. Pumpkin seeds: 62 µg
  8. Almonds: 30 µg
  9. Button mushrooms, cooked: 18 µg
  10. Spinach, cooked: 12 µg

Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel 4.0 (2025), rounded. Per portion: 30 g walnuts 44 µg, 30 g hazelnuts 20 µg, 20 g pumpkin seeds 12 µg, 150 g cooked spinach 18 µg. Baking cocoa (195) and dark chocolate (173) are deliberately excluded: these values are converted or carried over, not measured. Cooked legumes sit at 2 to 4 µg, wholegrain bread at 3 µg, porridge oats at 2.5 µg.

Nuts, seeds and cocoa: the foods richest in chromium

Walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, chia, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds come in at 60 to 145 µg per 100 g, and a study of five types of nut found 94 to 202 µg. A handful of walnuts (30 g) works out at a good 40 µg, which is more than the lower end of the DGE estimated range. After that, there's a long gap: vegetables, fruit, grains and pulses are almost all under 20 µg per 100 g, meat sits at 4 to 13, and milk and eggs are under 1. According to the BfR food study, cocoa also belongs in the top group; because the database values there are converted, it doesn't appear in the bar. Two squares of dark chocolate are still a better source of chromium than a steak, but that's not a recommendation.

Is there chromium in oats?

Yes, but not much: 2.5 µg per 100 g. A 50 g portion provides a good 1 µg, which is 4% of the 30 µg. The value comes from the Danish FRIDA database and matches oats as a whole grain (2.6 µg). So oats aren't a source of chromium, but they're a good base: add 20 g of hazelnuts and a tablespoon of chia seeds on top, and your bowl reaches around 25 µg. With rice, the database shows the only provable wholegrain effect: raw brown rice has 9 µg, polished rice 4 µg. There's no value at all for wheat flour, wholemeal flour and wheat germ, so we can't give a percentage for how much poorer white flour is.
Walnuts, porridge oats with hazelnuts, chia seeds, spinach, wholegrain bread and mushrooms on a kitchen worktop: the most important everyday sources of chromium
The nuts make the difference: a handful of walnuts on your porridge gives you more chromium than the rest of the day combined. Spinach, mushrooms and wholegrain top you up.

Broccoli, brewer's yeast, liver: what's behind the chromium tips

Not much. Broccoli is seen as the top performer in US tables, but the Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel lists it at 1 µg per 100 g; 200 g cooked gives you 2 µg. Brewer's yeast has no entry of its own, while nutritional yeast flakes are listed at 29.5 µg, and a teaspoon provides 1.5 µg. The "glucose tolerance factor" from brewer's yeast was postulated in 1959 and has never been chemically identified. For liver, there's no chromium value at all in the German database, while chicken liver sits at 4 µg. According to analysis, coffee contains no measurable chromium, and there's no figure at all for tea. And acidic foods take up chromium from new stainless steel pots, up to 86 µg per portion of tomato sauce after hours of cooking: that explains the scattered measurements, but it's not a tip.
Interactive

How much chromium is in …?

Values in µg per 100 g according to the Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel 4.0, nuts dry, grains and pulses cooked, meat cooked. The traffic light refers to a typical portion and 30 µg, the lower end of the DGE estimated range: a lot from 25%, some 10 to 24%, hardly any below that. Type in what you eat, or choose a group.

  • Walnuts 14530 g (handful) = 44 µg (145% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Brazil nuts 10710 g (2 nuts) = 11 µg (36% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Cashews 8630 g = 26 µg (86% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Cashew butter 8620 g (1 tbsp) = 17 µg (58% of 30 µg), nut butter, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Pine nuts 7520 g = 15 µg (50% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Chia seeds 7315 g (1 tbsp) = 11 µg (36% of 30 µg), dry, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Hazelnuts 6830 g = 20 µg (68% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Pumpkin seeds 6220 g = 12 µg (41% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Pistachios 4230 g = 13 µg (42% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Trail mix nut and fruit mix 3440 g = 14 µg (45% of 30 µg), mix, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Almonds sweet 3030 g = 9 µg (30% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Chestnuts sweet chestnuts 2250 g = 11 µg (38% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Sesame seeds 1210 g (1 tbsp) = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Sunflower seed spread 620 g = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), spread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Unsalted rice cakes puffed rice 1210 g (1 to 2 cakes) = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), puffed, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Wholegrain rye crispbread with pumpkin seeds 1125 g (2 slices) = 3 µg (9% of 30 µg), crispbread, BLS 4.0, converted
  • Quinoa 6.5150 g = 10 µg (32% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Amaranth 5150 g = 8 µg (26% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Brown rice wholegrain rice, unpolished rice 3.5150 g = 5 µg (17% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Millet millet porridge, millet grains 3150 g = 4.5 µg (16% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Bulgur durum wheat 3150 g = 4.5 µg (15% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Wholegrain rye bread 350 g (1 slice) = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), bread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Cornflakes, unsweetened 330 g = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), dry, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Rolled oats oat flakes, porridge oats 2.550 g (1 bowl of muesli or porridge) = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), dry, BLS 4.0, from another database
  • Buckwheat 2.5150 g = 3.5 µg (12% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Wheat grains whole wheat kernels 2150 g = 3 µg (10% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Wheat bread white bread, toast 240 g (1 slice) = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), bread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • White rice polished rice, basmati, jasmine 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Porridge oats cooked with water under 1250 g (1 bowl) = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Peanut butter 1820 g (1 tbsp) = 3.5 µg (12% of 30 µg), spread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Peanuts roasted 1130 g (handful) = 3.5 µg (11% of 30 µg), roasted, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Soya beans mature 9150 g = 14 µg (45% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Hummus chickpea purée 950 g (3 tbsp) = 4.5 µg (15% of 30 µg), ready-made product, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Soya mince textured soya protein 8.5100 g = 8.5 µg (29% of 30 µg), soaked, fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Kidney beans mature 4150 g = 6 µg (20% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Chickpeas 4150 g = 6 µg (19% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Lentils mature, brown/green 3.5150 g = 5 µg (18% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • White beans haricot beans, mature 2.5150 g = 3.5 µg (12% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Peas, mature split peas 2150 g = 3 µg (10% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Button mushrooms cultivated 13100 g = 13 µg (45% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Spinach leaf spinach 12150 g = 18 µg (60% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Swiss chard 10150 g = 15 µg (50% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Tomato purée 820 g (1 tbsp) = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), ingredient, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Rocket 730 g (handful) = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Sauerkraut 5150 g = 7.5 µg (25% of 30 µg), drained, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Crisps 4.530 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), snack, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Chanterelles 4100 g = 4 µg (13% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Beetroot 4100 g = 4 µg (13% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Asparagus 4200 g = 8 µg (27% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Kohlrabi 4150 g = 6 µg (20% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Leek 3150 g = 4.5 µg (15% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Garlic 35 g (1 clove) = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Pumpkin Hokkaido 2.5200 g = 5 µg (17% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Broccoli 1200 g = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Carrot 1100 g = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Potatoes peeled 1200 g = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Red pepper 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Onion 150 g = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Green beans French beans 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Tomato under 1150 g = 1 µg (2% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Cauliflower under 1200 g = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Dried apple rings 1630 g = 4.5 µg (16% of 30 µg), dried, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Mango 10150 g = 15 µg (50% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Raisins sultanas 1030 g = 3 µg (10% of 30 µg), dried, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Dried figs 730 g (2 figs) = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), dried, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Pineapple 5150 g = 7.5 µg (24% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Dried apricots 530 g (4 halves) = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), dried, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Kiwi 480 g (1 kiwi) = 3 µg (11% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Banana 3120 g (1 banana) = 3.5 µg (12% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Dried dates 2.530 g (3 dates) = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), dried, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Pear 2150 g = 3 µg (10% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Apple 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Orange 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Grapes 1100 g = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Lachsschinken cured pork loin 2430 g (2 slices) = 7.5 µg (24% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Lamb shoulder 13150 g = 19 µg (64% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Poultry frankfurters 12100 g (2 sausages) = 12 µg (40% of 30 µg), sausage, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Liver sausage deli-style 9.530 g (1 slice) = 3 µg (9% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Parma ham 7.530 g (2 slices) = 2 µg (8% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Black Forest ham 7.530 g = 2 µg (8% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Cooked ham 730 g (2 slices) = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, from another database
  • Frankfurters 7100 g (2 sausages) = 7 µg (24% of 30 µg), sausage, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Venison roe deer leg 6.5150 g = 9.5 µg (32% of 30 µg), roasted (oven), BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Beef leg, boiling beef 6150 g = 9 µg (30% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Venison red deer 6150 g = 9 µg (30% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Beef fillet fillet steak 5.5150 g = 8 µg (27% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Beef steak rump steak, back 5.5150 g = 8 µg (27% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Veal escalope 5.5150 g = 8.5 µg (29% of 30 µg), roasted (oven), BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Chicken heart 5.5100 g = 5.5 µg (19% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Beef mince 4.5125 g = 5.5 µg (19% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Turkey breast skinless 4.5150 g = 6.5 µg (22% of 30 µg), roasted (oven), BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Chicken breast fillet 4150 g = 6 µg (20% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Duck meat without skin 4150 g = 6.5 µg (21% of 30 µg), grilled, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Chicken liver 4100 g = 4 µg (13% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Tripe beef stomach 3.5150 g = 5.5 µg (18% of 30 µg), cooked, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Salami 2.520 g (2 slices) = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), cold cut, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Teewurst spreadable sausage 2.520 g = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), spread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Cod liver tinned 2730 g = 8 µg (27% of 30 µg), tinned, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Breaded squid rings 15100 g = 15 µg (50% of 30 µg), baked (oven), BLS 4.0, measured
  • Sardines in oil 11100 g = 11 µg (37% of 30 µg), tinned, drained, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Tuna in oil 8100 g = 8 µg (27% of 30 µg), tinned, drained, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • King salmon Chinook 6150 g = 9 µg (31% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Breaded prawns 6100 g = 6 µg (20% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Herring 2150 g = 3 µg (10% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Matjes fillet 2100 g = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), tinned/ready-made, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Cod 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Trout 1150 g = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Smoked salmon under 150 g = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), smoked, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Butter 610 g = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), spreadable fat, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Goat's milk 4.5200 ml = 9 µg (31% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, from another database
  • Emmental 3.530 g (1 slice) = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Parmesan 3.510 g (1 tbsp grated) = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Processed cheese 45 to 52% fat in dry matter 3.520 g = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Gouda 48% 230 g (1 slice) = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Camembert 45% 130 g = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Plain cream cheese 60% fat in dry matter 120 g = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), cheese, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Whole milk 3.5% under 1200 ml (1 glass) = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), pasteurised, BLS 4.0, from another database
  • Kefir 3.5% under 1250 ml = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, from another database
  • Low-fat quark/plain quark 20% fat in dry matter under 1125 g = under 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), quark, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Hen's egg under 160 g (1 egg) = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), raw, BLS 4.0, literature value
  • Hen's egg breakfast egg under 160 g (1 egg) = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), boiled, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Fried egg under 160 g (1 egg) = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), fried, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Buttermilk 0250 ml = 0 µg (0% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Mild yoghurt 3.5% fat 0150 g = 0 µg (0% of 30 µg), plain yoghurt, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Dry red wine 1.5150 ml (1 glass) = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Dry white wine 1150 ml = 2 µg (6% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Orange juice 1200 ml = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Apple juice 1200 ml = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, from multiple measurements
  • Grape juice 1200 ml = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Oat drink, unsweetened under 1250 ml = under 0.5 µg (under 1% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Soya drink, unsweetened under 1250 ml = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Almond drink, unsweetened under 1250 ml = 1 µg (4% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Coffee filter coffee 0200 ml (1 cup) = 0 µg (0% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Iced tea lemon/peach, sweetened 0250 ml = 0 µg (0% of 30 µg), drink, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Cocoa powder, heavily de-oiled baking cocoa 19510 g (2 tsp) = 20 µg (65% of 30 µg), powder, BLS 4.0, converted
  • Dark chocolate bitter chocolate 17325 g (3 pieces) = 43 µg (144% of 30 µg), bar, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Chocolate ice cream 4580 g (2 scoops) = 36 µg (120% of 30 µg), ice cream, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Sandwich biscuits with cocoa cream filling 3825 g (2 pieces) = 9.5 µg (32% of 30 µg), biscuit, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Chocolate nut spread 3820 g (1 tbsp) = 7.5 µg (25% of 30 µg), spread, BLS 4.0, calculated
  • Chocolate marshmallow treat 3420 g (1 piece) = 7 µg (23% of 30 µg), confectionery, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Nutritional yeast yeast flakes; brewer's yeast flakes 305 g (1 tsp) = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), flakes, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Nut nougat spread 2620 g (1 tbsp) = 5 µg (17% of 30 µg), spread, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Milk chocolate 9.525 g (3 pieces) = 2.5 µg (8% of 30 µg), bar, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • White chocolate 9.525 g = 2.5 µg (8% of 30 µg), bar, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Tomato ketchup 820 g (1 tbsp) = 1.5 µg (5% of 30 µg), ready-made product, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Liquorice 6.520 g = 1.5 µg (4% of 30 µg), confectionery, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Fruit gums 6.530 g = 2 µg (7% of 30 µg), confectionery, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Mayonnaise 5.515 g = 1 µg (3% of 30 µg), ready-made product, BLS 4.0, adopted value
  • Medium-hot mustard 410 g = under 0.5 µg (1% of 30 µg), ready-made product, BLS 4.0, measured
  • Salted pretzels pretzel sticks 230 g = 0.5 µg (2% of 30 µg), snack, BLS 4.0, measured
Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel 4.0 (German food composition database; Max Rubner Institute 2025, CC BY 4.0), data source for each entry in the note. Chromium values vary widely depending on soil, processing and measurement; only 6% of the values are directly measured, the rest are calculated or carried over. Zero values are analysis results below the limit of quantification. The reference value of 30 µg is an estimate, not a requirement.

Chromium deficiency: what should you eat?

Anyone asking this almost certainly isn't deficient, but eating so that you reliably hit the range is easy: a daily handful of nuts or seeds, wholegrain instead of white flour, pulses two to three times a week, plus mushrooms and leafy greens. Cut back on sugar, because sugary diets are low in chromium and increase excretion; vitamin C with your meal improves absorption. Meat, fish, milk and eggs are welcome on the table, just not for the chromium. On days when that doesn't work out, a drinkable meal with defined nutrient amounts can step in: one bottle of Saturo (400 ml) provides 18 µg of chromium, 45% of the reference value, plus 25 other vitamins and minerals, 36 g of protein and 400 kcal. Chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism. That's a nutrition claim, not a promise.
Ready-to-Drink 6 x 400 ml
From the Saturo range

Drinkable meal: a complete meal from a bottle

26 vitamins and minerals, including chromium, iron, zinc and selenium, plus 36 g protein and 400 kcal per bottle. Chromium contributes to normal macronutrient metabolism. Reference intake chromium: 40 µg per day (NRV).

26Vitamins & minerals
36 gProtein
400kcal
18 µgChromium per bottle45% of the reference intake
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07 Special cases

Chromium 6 and chromium allergy: when chromium really does harm

Google "chromium" and you'll quickly land on workplace safety, leather shoes and cancer. That's a different chromium. Here's the distinction that hardly any guide makes, plus the question of whether people with a chromium allergy need to watch what they eat.

Chromium 3 and chromium 6: what's the difference?

Chromium(III) is the form found in food and supplements: poorly absorbed, barely toxic, with no upper limit set. Chromium(VI), "chromium 6" or chromate, is created in industry, when welding stainless steel, in cement, pigments and tanneries, and gets into drinking water through contamination. It penetrates cell membranes, is classed as carcinogenic to humans by the cancer research agency IARC (lung cancer when inhaled, Group 1) and is the reason for the limits: drinking water in Germany 25 µg/l, from 2030 only 5 µg/l, leather below 3 mg/kg since 2015. In the stomach, swallowed chromium(VI) is largely reduced to chromium(III). The table compares the two.
Distinction

Chromium(III) in food vs. chromium(VI) from industry

Two oxidation states of the same element with completely different properties. What one does tells you nothing about the other.

Chromium(III)Chromium(VI)
Where it occursNuts, wholegrain, cocoa, supplementsIndustry, welding fumes, cement, leather, contaminated water
Absorption0.4 to 2.5% in the gut, doesn't readily enter cellsPenetrates cell membranes, partly reduced to chromium(III) in the stomach
ToxicityLow, no upper limit setCarcinogenic when inhaled, IARC Group 1
LimitsBfR proposal 60 µg per supplement doseDrinking water 25 µg/l (from 2030: 5), leather 3 mg/kg
AllergyIsolated cases: rash after chromium tabletsContact allergy in 0.8% of the population, mostly from leather
Search termChromium deficiency, chromium tablets, chromium effectsChromium 6, chromium poisoning, occupational disease

EFSA CONTAM 2014, IARC 100C (2012), TrinkwV 2023 Annex 2, Regulation (EU) 301/2014, Geier 2016 (IVDK), BfR 2021. Not an occupational safety guide.

Chromium allergy: do I need to avoid chromium in food?

Usually not. Chromium allergy is a contact allergy to chromium(VI), triggered mainly by leather shoes and, in the past, by cement; around 0.8% of the population are sensitised, and in skin clinics roughly 2 to 3% of those tested react. No guideline recommends a low-chromium diet. The only documented cases are isolated ones in which people with a chromium allergy developed a full-body rash after taking chromium tablets or multivitamin supplements containing chromium, which cleared up once they stopped. For them the rule is: no chromium supplements, but nuts and wholegrain are still fine. If you want to avoid chromium in everyday life, look for chromium-free tanned leather, not at your plate.
08 Look it up

Common questions about chromium deficiency

How do you notice a chromium deficiency?

You don't, as long as you eat normally: it has never been described in healthy people, and there's no test for it. In the five case reports under intravenous nutrition, blood sugar and blood fats rose, weight fell and nerves tingled. Cravings and tiredness aren't part of it.

Can you take chromium and magnesium together?

Yes, the two don't interfere with each other, and a shared benefit isn't proven either. The more important question is whether you're lacking either at all: with magnesium that happens, with chromium practically never. Don't combine chromium with antacids or iron tablets.

Who shouldn't take chromium?

People with kidney or liver disease, people on diabetes medication without medical supervision (low blood sugar), anyone taking levothyroxine without leaving several hours between doses, people with a chromium allergy and people with iron deficiency. There's no safety data for pregnant women. For everyone else: not forbidden, just not necessary.

Which food has the most chromium?

According to the Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel, walnuts with around 145 µg per 100 g, followed by cashews, Brazil nuts, pine nuts, chia seeds, hazelnuts and pumpkin seeds. Baking cocoa and dark chocolate are similarly high, but those values are converted. Meat, milk and eggs provide almost nothing.

How does chromium deficiency affect the thyroid?

None that are proven. No source describes a link between chromium deficiency and thyroid disease. The reverse is proven: chromium picolinate reduces the absorption of levothyroxine, so leave several hours between them. For your thyroid, iodine and selenium are what count.

Is brewer's yeast a good source of chromium?

Not demonstrably. The German database only lists nutritional yeast flakes at 29.5 µg per 100 g, a carried-over value; a teaspoon provides 1.5 µg. The much-advertised "glucose tolerance factor" has never been chemically identified. A handful of nuts gives you twenty times as much.

Do I need more chromium during pregnancy?

According to the DGE, no; the range of 30 to 100 µg applies unchanged, while the US sets 30 µg for pregnancy and 45 µg while breastfeeding. You don't need a supplement, and there's no safety data for pregnant women. Nuts, wholegrain and pulses cover the amount along the way.

Which vitamin are you missing when you crave sweet things?

Usually none. Cravings come from lack of sleep, long gaps between meals, stress or blood sugar swings after sugary meals. If you're tired all the time, it's worth getting checked: iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D and fasting blood sugar. Chromium for cravings has only been studied in pilot studies.

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Gregor Aßlaber
Gregor AßlaberAuthor · Editor at Saturo

Has been writing for Saturo since 2019 about nutrition, nutrients and how to get good nutrition to work in everyday life.

Joerg Hauke
Joerg HaukeFachliche Prüfung · Nutrition expert

Hat diesen Artikel am 1. Oktober 2026 auf fachliche Richtigkeit geprüft. This content is not a substitute for medical advice.

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