Herb & supplement monograph

Chromium Drug Interactions, Uses, Effectiveness, Safety & More

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS ·Updated July 2026

What is this page for?

First and foremost: how Chromium interacts with medications. The heart of this page is the interaction list — every drug Chromium is known to interact with, and how serious each one is.

But these pages have grown well beyond that into a full monograph — what Chromium is, what people use it for and how strong the evidence is, its safety and side effects, and answers to the questions we’re asked most — written and reviewed by the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases, not medical advice, and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

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Chromium Drug Interactions: The Bottom Line

From the HelloPharmacist Editorial Team · Updated July 2026

Based on the available evidence, the overall risk of a clinically significant Chromium drug interaction appears low for most people. None of the listed interactions are rated major, and the moderate ones rest largely on theoretical or early evidence rather than proven harm in people.

Interactions deserving the most attention

The best-documented interaction involves levothyroxine. Human research shows chromium can bind this thyroid medication in the gut and noticeably lower the amount absorbed, so taking the two close together may make thyroid treatment less effective. We also pay attention to diabetes medications and insulin, because chromium may lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, which could add to their effect. That risk is theoretical, but blood sugar is a closely watched target, so it matters most in people whose diabetes control is being fine-tuned.

What the rest of the list means

Chromium appears alongside a long list of medications, but a long list does not mean every combination is harmful. Many entries, such as those with aspirin and other anti-inflammatory pain relievers, come from animal research suggesting small changes in how much chromium the body absorbs, not from proven problems in people. In practice, only a handful of these pairings call for real attention.

Check your medications against Chromium

Based on HelloPharmacist’s Chromium interaction data and reviewed under our editorial standards.

Interaction report

Drugs that interact with Chromium

178 medications have a known interaction with Chromium, graded by severity. Select any drug for the full evidence-based detail.

Don’t want to scroll the list? Just ask.

Tell us the medications you take and we’ll check each one against Chromium using our pharmacist-reviewed interaction data.

AI summaries are generated from our Chromium interaction data for education only — always confirm with your pharmacist. How we use AI

2,830 drugs

Read The List Like a Pharmacist

What Severity, Likelihood & Evidence Mean

Severity — How Serious It Can Be

Major. Clinically significant; generally best avoided, or used only under direct professional supervision.
Moderate. May need monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one.
Minor. Generally not clinically significant, but still worth noting and mentioning to your pharmacist.
No known interaction. Checked against our sources with nothing documented — not the same as proven safety.

Likelihood — How Well It’s Documented

Likely. Well-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction
Probable. Interaction 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.
Possible. 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
Unlikely. Interaction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.

Where This Data Comes From

Interaction records are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database (TRC Healthcare), the same reference used by pharmacists and hospitals.
Each drug listed above links to the full report for that exact Chromium combination — clinical detail, likelihood, evidence level, and citations.
Content is reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

The big picture

The kinds of drugs Chromium affects

Every type of medication (drug category) Chromium is known to interact with. Open any category for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

All 5 drug categories Chromium interacts with

Antidiabetes DrugsInsulinLevothyroxine (synthroid, Others)AspirinNonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (nsaids)

Antidiabetes Drugs

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.

Likelihood Possible Evidence A

Insulin

Theoretically, concomitant use of chromium and insulin might increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
In clinical research, chromium has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity,

Likelihood Possible Evidence B

Levothyroxine (Synthroid, Others)

Chromium might bind levothyroxine in the intestinal tract and decrease levothyroxine absorption.
Clinical research in healthy volunteers shows that taking chromium picolinate 1000 mcg with levothyroxine 1 mg decreases serum levels of levothyroxine by 17% when compared to taking levothyroxine alone. Advise patients to take levothyroxine at least 30 minutes before or 3-4 hours after taking chromium.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Aspirin

Theoretically, aspirin might increase chromium absorption.
Animal research suggests that aspirin may increase chromium absorption and chromium levels in the blood.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (Nsaids)

NSAIDs might increase chromium levels in the body.
Drugs that are prostaglandin inhibitors, such as NSAIDs, seem to increase chromium absorption and retention.

Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Monograph

Chromium: Uses, Safety & Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS · Reviewed July 2026 ·

The bottom line

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.

Part used: Trace mineral (not a plant)
Common forms: Capsules, tablets, gummies; common salt forms include chromium picolinate, chromium chloride, and chromium polynicotinate

People commonly use it for

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

Popular and traditional uses — not proof it works. See “Uses & effectiveness” below for the evidence.

Safety at a glance

OverallUse caution

Usually well tolerated at typical supplement doses, but high or long-term doses may pose risks for some people.

PregnancyLikely Safe

When used orally and appropriately in amounts not exceeding adequate intake (AI) levels. The AI for pregnancy is 28 mcg daily for those 14-18 years of...

Read the full pregnancy detail

BreastfeedingLikely Safe

When used orally and appropriately in amounts not exceeding adequate intake (AI) levels. The AI for lactation is 44 mcg daily for those 14-18 years of...

Read the full breastfeeding detail

Pregnancy & breastfeeding ratings are from Natural Medicines (Therapeutic Research Center). Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

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Overview

Chromium is a trace mineral that your body needs in very small amounts. It is found naturally in many foods, including whole grains, broccoli, green beans, nuts, meats, and some fruits. Because it is a mineral, it does not come from a single plant or herb.

The form of chromium used in supplements (such as chromium picolinate) is different from the industrial form known as hexavalent chromium, which is toxic. Supplement chromium is the trivalent form, which is the type found in food.

People take chromium supplements most often hoping to help with blood sugar control and weight loss. It is sold on its own and is also added to many multivitamins and "metabolism" or "blood sugar support" products.

How it works

Chromium is thought to help the hormone insulin work more effectively. Insulin helps move sugar from the blood into your cells for energy. Chromium may support a small protein sometimes called chromodulin that helps insulin do its job.

By possibly improving how the body responds to insulin, chromium might help with the way the body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

It is important to know that much of this understanding comes from laboratory and animal research, and the exact role of chromium in human health is still not fully clear. Severe chromium deficiency is rare in people who eat a normal diet.

Effectiveness

Does Chromium work?

Here’s what the research actually shows for each use — graded by Natural Medicines and reviewed by Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD.

Evidence overview · 21 uses evaluated

1 Likely effective 1 Possibly effective 3 Leans ineffective 16 Insufficient evidence

How to read these evidence grades

Natural Medicines’ 7-point scale. We show each rating’s label word-for-word.

1EffectiveStrong, consistent evidence it works.

2Likely EffectiveGood evidence, though not yet conclusive.

3Possibly EffectiveSome evidence suggests a benefit.

4Possibly IneffectiveSome evidence it may not help.

5Likely IneffectiveFairly strong evidence it doesn’t help.

6IneffectiveStrong evidence it doesn’t work.

7Insufficient Reliable Evidence to RateToo little research to say either way.

Likely Effective Chromium deficiency