 Chromium was discovered by Louis-Nicholas

Vauquelin while experimenting with a material known

as Siberian red lead, also known as the mineral crocoite
(PbCrO4), in 1797.
 He produced chromium oxide (CrO3) by mixing
crocoite with hydrochloric acid (HCl).
 Although he believed a method for isolating chromium
didn't yet exist, Vauquelin was pleasantly surprised in
1798 to discover that he was able to obtain metallic
chromium by simply heating chromium oxide in a
charcoal oven.
 Today, chromium is primarily obtained by heating the
mineral chromite (FeCr2O4) in the presence
of aluminum or silicon.
 A metal with a ubiquitous presence in air,
water and soil, exists in several oxidation states
from Cr2 – Cr6.
 Trivalent Chromium – the stablest of the
oxidation states and it is often found attached
to ligands containing nitrogen, oxygen, or
sulfur to form
 Can be obtained from multivitamin/ mineral
supplements
 About 2 ppb in blood and higher in glandular
organs
 present at birth and concentrations are higher
during early childhood, with a steady decline
in some tissues with age.
 Trivalent chromate is the biologically active
form.
 Cr
 Atomic Number: 24
 Atomic Weight: 51.9961
 Melting Point: 2180 K (1907°C or 3465°F)
 Boiling Point: 2944 K (2671°C or 4840°F)
 Density: 7.15 grams per cubic centimeter
 Phase at Room Temperature: Solid
 Element Classification: Metal
 Period Number: 4 Group
Number: 6 Group Name: none
 Chromium  chromium atom
 7440-47-3  Chromium, metal
 Chrom  CCRIS 159
 Chrome  UNII-0R0008Q3JB
 Chromium compounds  HSDB 910
 cromo  EINECS 231-157-5
 Chromium metal  24Cr
 Chrome [French]  CHEBI:28073
 Chrom [German]  Chromium, metal and
 Chromium, elemental insol. salts
 0R0008Q3JB
 Chromium, metal and chromium(III) compounds
 Chromium metal [Chromium and chromium
compounds]
 MFCD00010944
 chromium anion
 chromide(-I)
 chromide(1-)
 Chromium Trituration
 Chromium Yeast Dark
 Chromium Yeast Light
 Chromium Citrate Trit
 Chromium, Cr3+, may be released from food
components in acidic solutions, as would be found
in the stomach.
 Chromium is absorbed throughout the small
intestine, especially in the jejenum.
 Mode of absorption in humans is not known
chromium is thought to be absorbed by passive
diffusion by a carrier mediated transporter, or
endocytosis (is a form of bulk transport in which a
cell transports molecules (such as proteins) into the
cell (endo- + cytosis) by engulfing them in an
energy-using process.)
 May be influenced b dietary factors.
 Amino acids act as a ligands to improve
chromium absorption. (ligands -a molecule that
binds to another (usually larger) molecule.)
 Picolinate may enhance Cr3+ absorption
through the cell lipid membrances.
 Chromium in a neutral or alkaline enviroment
may react with hydroxyl ions (OH-), which
readily polymerize to form high-molecular
weight compounds in a process called olation –
it may result to on chromate precipitation and
thus reduced absorption.
 Phylic acid, binds to and diminishes chormium
absorption.
1. Transferrin delivers Cr3+ to transferrin
receptors on cell membrance.
2. Cr3+ released inside cell.
3. Four Cr3+ atoms complex with chormodulin to
form holo chormodulin or Cr4- chormodulin.
4. Cr4- chormodulin functions to increase the
kinase activity of the beta subunit of the insulin
receptor and other cystosolic tyrosine kinases.
 Readily absorbed in the GIT. Once absorbed
into the blood, it enters tissues rapidly and is
released back to the blood, especially after
glucose ingestion.
 About 50% of chromium ingested appears in
the urine.
 Most chromium is excreted from the body via
urination. (95%)
 Chromium excretion ranges fro 0.2 to 0.4 ug/
day.
 Small amounts of chromium are lost with
desquamation of skin cells.
 Fecal chromium represents mostly unabsorbed
dietary chromium, not endogenous chromium
excreted via the bile into the feces.
 Catalyzes reactions involving energy release,
particularly in the first steps of glucose metabolism
by facilitating transfer of glucose from plasma to
cell.
 Stimulates the synthesis of fatty acids and
cholesterol in the liver,
 Potentiates insulin action and as such influences
carbohydrates, lipid and protein metabolism. The
proposed roles of chromium as glucose tolerance
factor is controversial
 In rats and mice, promotes growth and prolongs
life.
 Micrograms (ug)
 Deficiency state is hard to attain even in
experimental nutrition. The diet of lowest
known concentration still has 50 ppb of
chromium. In rats and mice, deficiency resulted
in impaired growth, increased mortality rate
and elevated blood glucose with excretion in
urine.
 Was originally described in individuals
receiving intravenous nutrition (total
parenteral nutrition).
 Signs and symptoms – weight loss, peripheral
neuropathy, elevated plasma glucose
concentration or impaired glucose use (also
called insulin resistance, which may
characterized by hyperinsulinemia) and high
plasma free fatty acid concentrations.
 As hexavalent chromate, it is easily
concentrated in tissues of animals and exerts
toxic effects. As trivalent chromate, it is toxic
only when injected intravenously.
 Organ damage, specifically renal failure and
hepatic dysfunction.
 DNA damage includes adducts, single and
double strand DNA breaks, and inter- and
intrastrand crosslinks.
 Insulin interacts with CHROMIUM
 Chromium might decrease blood sugar. Insulin is also
used to decrease blood sugar. Taking chromium along
with insulin might cause your blood sugar to be too
low. Monitor your blood sugar closely. The dose of
your insulin might need to be changed.
 Levothyroxine (Synthroid) interacts with
CHROMIUM
 Taking chromium with levothyroxine (Synthroid)
might decrease how much levothyroxine (Synthroid)
that the body absorbs. This might make levothyroxine
(Synthroid) less effective. To help avoid this
interaction, levothyroxine (Synthroid) should be taken
30 minutes before or 3-4 hours after taking chromium.
 NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
interacts with CHROMIUM
 NSAIDs are anti-inflammatory medications used
for decreasing pain and swelling. NSAIDs might
increase chromium levels in the body and increase
the risk of adverse effects. Avoid taking chromium
supplements and NSAIDs at the same time.<br />
Some NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin,
Nuprin, others), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen
(Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn), piroxicam
(Feldene), aspirin, and others.
Food Chromium (mcg)
Broccoli, ½ cup 11
Grape juice, 1 cup 8
English muffin, whole wheat, 1 4
Potatoes, mashed, 1 cup 3
Garlic, dried, 1 teaspoon 3
Basil, dried, 1 tablespoon 2
Beef cubes, 3 ounces 2
Orange juice, 1 cup 2
Turkey breast, 3 ounces 2
Whole wheat bread, 2 slices 2
Red wine, 5 ounces 1–13
Apple, unpeeled, 1 medium 1
Banana, 1 medium 1
Green beans, ½ cup 1
Table 2: Adequate Intakes (AIs) for chromium [14]
mcg = micrograms

Infants and
children Males Females Pregnancy Lactation
Age (mcg/day) (mcg/day) (mcg/day) (mcg/day) (mcg/day)
0 to 6 0.2
months
7 to 12 5.5
months
1 to 3 years 11
4 to 8 years 15
9 to 13 years 25 21
14 to 18 35 24 29 44
years
19 to 50 35 25 30 45
years
>50 years 30 20
 Beneficial effects of oral chromium picolinate
supplementation on glycemic control in
patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized
clinical study.
 Paiva AN1, Lima JG2, Medeiros
AC3, Figueiredo HA4, Andrade RL5, Ururahy
MA6, Rezende AA7, Brandão-Neto J8, Almeida
Md9.
 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2630
2914