Drug & supplement interaction

Chromium + Acetaminophen, Aspirin

Acetaminophen, Aspirin brand name: Gemnisyn.

Minor Interaction
The bottom line Minor

Acetaminophen, Aspirin falls into 2 drug categories that Chromium can interact with; the most serious is rated minor. NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMinor
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Chromium and Acetaminophen, Aspirin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Chromium interacts with whole categories of medication. Acetaminophen, Aspirin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Chromium in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Minor).

Minor

NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs)

1 of 2

Why this applies to Acetaminophen, Aspirin

Acetaminophen, Aspirin falls under NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs) — the group Chromium interacts with.

NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.
Drugs that are prostaglandin inhibitors, such as NSAIDs, seem to increase chromium absorption and retention.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the deal with combining chromium and a product like Gemnisyn (which pairs acetaminophen with aspirin). The aspirin part works partly by blocking prostaglandins, and on paper that action may help your body absorb and hold onto a bit more chromium than usual. So the concern isn't that the pain reliever becomes stronger or weaker. Instead, your chromium levels could nudge slightly higher.

I want to be honest about how soft this is. It's theoretical, based on how these drugs behave, not on real-world reports of people running into trouble. For most folks this won't cause anything noticeable. Still, if you take chromium daily and use aspirin regularly, mention it to your pharmacist or doctor so they can keep an eye on things.

References
  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
Minor

ASPIRIN

2 of 2

Acetaminophen, Aspirin also falls under ASPIRIN.

Theoretically, aspirin might increase chromium absorption.
Animal research suggests that aspirin may increase chromium absorption and chromium levels in the blood.
Severity Minor Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing to know about pairing chromium with Gemnisyn (which is acetaminophen plus aspirin): the interaction runs the other direction from what most people expect. It's the aspirin in this combo that may nudge things, not the other way around. Some animal studies hint that aspirin can help your body absorb a bit more chromium, so your chromium levels might run slightly higher.

I want to keep this in perspective. This is rated minor, and the evidence is only lab and animal work, so it's mostly theoretical. It doesn't change how your aspirin or acetaminophen works, and you wouldn't expect extra stomach upset or pain-relief problems from it. Still, if you take chromium regularly, it's worth a quick mention to your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Davis ML, Seaborn CD, and Stoecker BJ. Effects of over-the-counter drugs on chromium retention and urinary excretion in rats. Nutrition Research 1995;15(2):201-210.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Chromium Also Interacts With Other Medications

Chromium has 89 moderate, 88 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Acetaminophen, Aspirin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chromium

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Chromium. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Chromium or Acetaminophen, Aspirin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Chromium or Acetaminophen, Aspirin, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Acetaminophen, Aspirin

This page covers Chromium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Acetaminophen, Aspirin page lists 321 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Beer (major), Danshen (major) and Piracetam (major).

By severity: 7 major · 270 moderate · 44 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Acetaminophen, Aspirin page

“Acetaminophen with aspirin (Gemnisyn) is the kind of pain reliever people take without a second thought, which is exactly why its interaction list deserves genuine care. More than 200 of the 321 ingredients on file thin the blood in some way, and layered on top of aspirin that means a higher chance of bleeding, especially in the stomach.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Acetaminophen, Aspirin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Chromium as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 16,728 real supplement products containing Chromium, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chromium. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Acetaminophen, Aspirin too, on top of Chromium — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Chromium and Acetaminophen, Aspirin Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Chromium
Top 5%

#17 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Acetaminophen, Aspirin
Top 10%

#224 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Chromium

What is Chromium?

Chromium
  • Blood sugar support in type 2 diabetes
  • Weight loss and appetite control
  • Insulin sensitivity
  • Cholesterol and lipid support
  • General nutritional supplement

Chromium is an essential trace mineral involved in how the body handles sugar and fat. Some studies suggest it may modestly help blood sugar control in certain people with type 2 diabetes, but results are mixed and the effect on weight loss is small and uncertain. For most healthy people who eat a varied diet, supplements are not needed; check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting.

Read the full Chromium monograph & all interactions
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chromium

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Chromium — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
89Moderate
88Minor
2,652No known interaction
Moderate

89 interactions

Showing 60 of 89 moderate interactions — see all 89 on the Chromium page.

Minor

88 interactions

Showing 60 of 88 minor interactions — see all 88 on the Chromium page.

No interaction 2,652 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Chromium and Acetaminophen, Aspirin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chromium with Acetaminophen, Aspirin?
There is only a minor interaction, which is usually not serious. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Chromium and Acetaminophen, Aspirin?
Acetaminophen, Aspirin belongs to more than one drug category, and Chromium interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Chromium and Acetaminophen, Aspirin interaction?
We rate it Minor. This interaction is generally not clinically significant, but it remains worth noting and discussing with your pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Acetaminophen, Aspirin and Chromium?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.