Chromium picolinate is a complex chemical compound consisting of chromium(III) and picolinic acid (a natural metabolic derivative of tryptophan), stable at room temperature.

It occurs as a fine, red powder, slightly difficult to dissolve in water, insoluble in ethanol where chromium is trivalent chromium.

What it is used for and where it is used

Background. Chromium is an essential trace element and necessary for the normal metabolism in the human body of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. In the environment, chromium is found mainly as the toxic hexavalent chromium Cr(VI) and trivalent chromium Cr(III), which is about 100 times less toxic than hexavalent chromium (1).

Chromium picolinate is one of many chromium compounds included in dietary supplements that, on the label, attribute its functions as a potential aid to weight loss and as a muscle enhancer. It is also used in animal nutrition.

Several studies have shown that the combination of chromium with picolinic acid plays an important role in glucose, amino acid and lipid metabolism by improving both the bioavailability of chromium compared to other chromium salts and the efficiency of insulin in humans (2).

Other studies claim that chromium picolinate supplementation has not demonstrated any effects on the body composition of healthy individuals and that chromium picolinate probably generates oxidative damage to DNA and lipids and is mutagenic (3), so recently, in view of the contradictory results documented in the literature, it is felt that the subject should be further explored (4).

Entering a specific field, on the actual efficacy of chromium picolinate in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has issued an application discretion letter concluding that the relationship between chromium picolinate intake and insulin resistance is highly uncertain (5).

Safety

"Do-it-yourself" in health is a serious danger involving many factors and the doses of individual ingredients or food supplements that can be sold freely without a prescription. The case of toxicity reported in this study of a woman who ingested high amounts of chromium picolinate for months to lose weight may be a warning (6).

Other uses

Animal feed.

Chromium picolinate is used in animal feed to reduce blood sugar levels in order to induce weight loss by improving the reproductive performance of cattle and poultry and to increase the percentage of lean meat.

Chromium picolinate studies

Typical optimal commercial product characteristics Chromium Picolinate

• Molecular Formula  C₁₈H₁₂CrN₃O₆    Cr(C₆H₄NO₂)₃
• Molecular Weight     418.3
• CAS  14639-25-9
• UNII    S71T8B8Z6P
• EC Number   477-680-4   604-524-6   1592732-453-0
• DSSTox Substance ID DTXSID1024831
• IUPAC  chromium(3+);pyridine-2-carboxylate
• InChI=1S/3C6H5NO2.Cr/c3*8-6(9)5-3-1-2-4-7-5;/h3*1-4H,(H,8,9);/q;;;+3/p-3  
• InChl Key      CBDQOLKNTOMMTL-UHFFFAOYSA-K
• SMILES   C1=CC=NC(=C1)C(=O)[O-].C1=CC=NC(=C1)C(=O)[O-].C1=CC=NC(=C1)C(=O)[O-].[Cr+3]
• MDL number  
• PubChem Substance ID    
• ChEBI  
• ICSC    
• NSC   
• RTECS   
• UN   
• NCI   C28931

Synonyms:

• chromium(3+);pyridine-2-carboxylate
• Picolinic acid chromium(III) salt
• Chromium(III) Picolinate
• Picolinate 2-Pyridinecarboxylic Acid Chromium Salt

References________________________________________________________________________

(1) Wang Y, Su H, Gu Y, Song X, Zhao J. Carcinogenicity of chromium and chemoprevention: a brief update. Onco Targets Ther. 2017 Aug 16;10:4065-4079. doi: 10.2147/OTT.S139262. 

(2) McCarty MF. Homologous physiological effects of phenformin and chromium picolinate. Med Hypotheses. 1993 Oct;41(4):316-24. doi: 10.1016/0306-9877(93)90073-y. 

Broadhurst CL, Domenico P. Clinical studies on chromium picolinate supplementation in diabetes mellitus--a review. Diabetes Technol Ther. 2006 Dec;8(6):677-87. doi: 10.1089/dia.2006.8.677.

Moradi F, Kooshki F, Nokhostin F, Khoshbaten M, Bazyar H, Pourghassem Gargari B. A pilot study of the effects of chromium picolinate supplementation on serum fetuin-A, metabolic and inflammatory factors in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2021 Jan;63:126659. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126659.

(3) Vincent JB. The potential value and toxicity of chromium picolinate as a nutritional supplement, weight loss agent and muscle development agent. Sports Med. 2003;33(3):213-30. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200333030-00004. 

(4) Pereira SC, Oliveira PF, Oliveira SR, Pereira ML, Alves MG. Impact of Environmental and Lifestyle Use of Chromium on Male Fertility: Focus on Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 Aug 27;10(9):1365. doi: 10.3390/antiox10091365.

(5) Trumbo PR, Ellwood KC. Chromium picolinate intake and risk of type 2 diabetes: an evidence-based review by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Nutr Rev. 2006 Aug;64(8):357-63. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2006.tb00220.x.

(6) Cerulli J, Grabe DW, Gauthier I, Malone M, McGoldrick MD. Chromium picolinate toxicity. Ann Pharmacother. 1998 Apr;32(4):428-31. doi: 10.1345/aph.17327.