Drug & supplement interaction

Chromium + Nepafenac

Nepafenac brand names: Nevanac, Ilevro.

Minor Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Minor

Chromium has a minor interaction with Nepafenac. NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.

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

Chromium and Nepafenac

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Minor

NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS (NSAIDs)

Why this applies to Nepafenac

Nepafenac 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 something to keep in perspective about pairing chromium with nepafenac (Nevanac or Ilevro). The note we have flips the usual script: it isn't that nepafenac becomes stronger, but rather that NSAIDs may nudge your body to absorb and hold onto a bit more chromium. So this is really about your chromium levels, not your eye drops.

The good news is that nepafenac is an eye drop used after cataract surgery, so very little of it reaches the rest of your body. That makes any real-world effect on chromium quite unlikely. On top of that, this interaction is theoretical, based on how these drugs work rather than actual reports. I wouldn't worry, but feel free to mention your chromium supplement to your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
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.

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 Nepafenac one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Moderate 89 Minor 88 No known interaction 2,653 (incl. Nepafenac)
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 Nepafenac

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 Nepafenac, 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 Nepafenac

This page covers Chromium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Nepafenac page lists 9 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Beer (major), Wine (major), African Wild Potato (moderate), Banderol (moderate) and Caffeic Acid (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 6 moderate · 1 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Nepafenac page

“Nepafenac (Nevanac, Ilevro) is an anti-inflammatory eye drop given after cataract surgery, and enough of it is absorbed to act like an NSAID throughout the body. Its interaction list is short, nine ingredients in all, but it warrants real vigilance because the two rated major both involve alcohol.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Nepafenac 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 Nepafenac 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 Nepafenac 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 Nepafenac
Steady interest

#2,387 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
Medication

About Nepafenac Ophthalmic

What Is Nepafenac Ophthalmic Used For?

Brand names: Nevanac, Ilevro

Nepafenac eye drops treat pain and inflammation linked to cataract surgery.

The supplied label evidence for the use comes from Ilevro 0.3%. Nevanac 0.1% appears in the pregnancy, nursing and pediatric sections, but its own use is not described here.

See full Nepafenac Ophthalmic drug information
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
89 Moderate 88 Minor 2,652 No 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

We also checked Chromium against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,652 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Chromium list.

See the full Chromium interactions page
See every supplement checked against Nepafenac, ranked by severity
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

Keep exploring
Chromium monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Nepafenac supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Nepafenac, ranked by severity Nepafenac Ophthalmic drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Chromium and Nepafenac Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chromium with Nepafenac?
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.
How serious is the Chromium and Nepafenac 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 Nepafenac and Chromium?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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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.