Drug & supplement interaction

Chromium + Rosiglitazone Maleate

Rosiglitazone Maleate brand name: Avandia.

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

Chromium has a moderate interaction with Rosiglitazone Maleate. Theoretically, chromium may have additive effects with antidiabetic agents and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.

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

Chromium and Rosiglitazone Maleate

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

Moderate

ANTIDIABETES DRUGS

Why this applies to Rosiglitazone Maleate

Rosiglitazone Maleate falls under ANTIDIABETES DRUGS — the group Chromium interacts with.

Theoretically, chromium may have additive effects with antidiabetic agents and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Some research shows that taking chromium might lower blood glucose levels, especially in patients with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence A

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 simple version: both chromium and rosiglitazone (Avandia) nudge your body to use insulin more effectively. Chromium may help insulin work, and rosiglitazone does the same thing through a different path. Stack them together and their blood-sugar-lowering effects can add up, which means your sugar could dip lower than expected.

If that happens, you might feel the usual signs of low blood sugar: shakiness, sweating, dizziness, a racing heart, or feeling suddenly hungry or confused. The good news is this comes from solid research, but it's more of a watch closely situation than a dangerous one. Please don't start or stop anything on your own. Check with your pharmacist or doctor first, and keep an eye on your readings if you do add chromium.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Rabinovitz H, Friedensohn A, Leibovitz A, et al. Effect of chromium supplementation on blood glucose and lipid levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus elderly patients. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 2004;74:178-82. PubMed
  2. Martin J, Wang ZQ, Zhang XH, et al. Chromium picolinate supplementation attenuates body weight gain and increases insulin sensitivity in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2006;29:1826-32. PubMed
  3. Singer GM, Geohas J. The effect of chromium picolinate and biotin supplementation on glycemic control in poorly controlled patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized trial. Diabetes Technol Ther 2006;8:636-43. PubMed
  4. Liu Y, Cotillard A, Vatier C, et al. A Dietary Supplement Containing Cinnamon, Chromium and Carnosine Decreases Fasting Plasma Glucose and Increases Lean Mass in Overweight or Obese Pre-Diabetic Subjects: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. PLoS One.
  5. Paiva AN, Lima JG, Medeiros AC, et al. Beneficial effects of oral chromium picolinate supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized clinical study. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015;32:66-72. PubMed
  6. Yin RV, Phung OJ. Effect of chromium supplementation on glycated hemoglobin and fasting plasma glucose in patients with diabetes mellitus. Nutr J. 2015;14:14. PubMed
  7. Jamilian M, Zadeh Modarres S, Amiri Siavashani M, et al. The influences of chromium supplementation on glycemic control, markers of cardio-metabolic risk, and oxidative stress in infertile polycystic ovary syndrome women candidate for in vitro fertilizati

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 88 moderate, 89 minor known drug interactions in our database — the Rosiglitazone Maleate one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Rosiglitazone Maleate

This page covers Chromium only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Rosiglitazone Maleate page lists 314 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Beer (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), Wine (major) and Acai (moderate).

By severity: 4 major · 266 moderate · 44 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Rosiglitazone Maleate page

“Rosiglitazone (Avandia) lowers blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, and most of the 314 supplements and herbs on this page pull on that same lever. Some 239 can move blood glucose on their own, so adding one risks hypoglycemia, the shakiness, sweating, and confusion of sugar falling too low.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Rosiglitazone Maleate 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate
Top 10%

#205 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 Rosiglitazone

What Is Rosiglitazone Used For?

Brand name: Avandia

  • Rosiglitazone is used along with a diet and exercise program and sometimes with one or more other medications to treat type 2 diabetes (condition in which the body does not use insulin normally and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood). Rosiglitazone is in a class of medications called thiazolidinediones. It works by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin, a natural substance that helps control blood sugar levels. Rosiglitazone is not used to treat type 1 diabetes (condition in which the body does not produce insulin and therefore cannot control the amount of sugar in the blood) or diabetic ketoacidosis (a serious condition that may occur if high blood sugar is not treated).

  • Over time, people who have diabetes and high blood sugar can develop serious or life-threatening complications, including heart disease, stroke, kidney problems, nerve damage, and eye problems. Taking medication(s), making lifestyle changes (e.g., diet, exercise, quitting smoking), and regularly checking your blood sugar may help to manage your diabetes and improve your health. This therapy may also decrease your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or other diabetes-related complications such as kidney failure, nerve damage (numb, cold legs or feet; decreased sexual ability in men and women), eye problems, including changes or loss of vision, or gum disease. Your doctor and other healthcare providers will talk to you about the best way to manage your diabetes.

See full Rosiglitazone 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
88Moderate
89Minor
2,652No known interaction
88 Moderate 89 Minor 2,652 No interaction
Moderate

88 interactions

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

Minor

89 interactions

Showing 60 of 89 minor interactions — see all 89 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate, 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Rosiglitazone Maleate, ranked by severity Rosiglitazone 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 Rosiglitazone Maleate Together: Common Questions

Can you take Chromium with Rosiglitazone Maleate?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Chromium and Rosiglitazone Maleate interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

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

Still Have a Question About Rosiglitazone Maleate 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.