Quick answer
Men need about 30 to 35 mcg of chromium a day and women about 20 to 25 mcg, rising to 30 mcg in pregnancy and 45 mcg while breastfeeding. These adequate intakes date from 2001. Supplements range from 35 mcg in some multivitamins to 1,000 mcg, and no upper limit has been set.1,2
Key facts
- The Daily Value on Supplement Facts labels is 35 mcg, so a 120 mcg serving shows as 343%.1
- Ingredient lists may give the weight of the whole compound; chromium picolinate is only 12.4% chromium.1
- A small US study found average intakes of about 29 mcg a day in women and 54 mcg in men.1
- Trials often used hundreds of micrograms a day, up to 1,000 mcg.1
Adequate intake by age
| Who | Micrograms a day |
|---|---|
| Men 19 to 50 | 35 |
| Men 51 and older | 30 |
| Women 19 to 50 | 25 |
| Women 51 and older | 20 |
| Pregnancy, 19 to 50 | 30 |
| Breastfeeding, 19 to 50 | 45 |
| Boys 14 to 18 | 35 |
| Girls 14 to 18 | 24 |
| Pregnancy, 14 to 18 | 29 |
| Breastfeeding, 14 to 18 | 44 |
| Boys 9 to 13 | 25 |
| Girls 9 to 13 | 21 |
| Children 4 to 8 | 15 |
| Children 1 to 3 | 11 |
These are adequate intakes, not recommended dietary allowances. In 2001 there was not enough evidence to estimate an average requirement, so the panel set the amounts from what healthy people usually eat, and it has not revisited chromium since.1
For women and for men
At every adult age, a woman's adequate intake is 10 mcg below a man's: 25 against 35 mcg up to age 50, and 20 against 30 mcg after that. For women it rises to 30 mcg in pregnancy and 45 mcg while breastfeeding.1
Measured diets land close to those numbers. In a small US study women ate about 29 mcg a day and men about 54 mcg, and young men in a training study took in about 36 mcg from food.1,3
Reading the label
Supplement Facts panels show micrograms of chromium and a percentage of the 35 mcg Daily Value. A 120 mcg serving shows as 343%, and a 1,000 mcg capsule as about 2,857%.1
Ingredient lists sometimes name the compound instead. Because chromium picolinate is 12.4% chromium by weight, 1,000 mcg of the compound carries about 124 mcg of chromium. The Supplement Facts figure is the one to compare between products.1
What supplements and trials use
Trials of chromium supplements often used pharmacological amounts, in the hundreds of micrograms a day. One overview of 58 trials found daily amounts from 1.28 to 1,000 mcg, taken for 3 weeks to 6 months.1
| Source | Amount per day |
|---|---|
| Adequate intake, adults | 20 to 35 mcg |
| Typical US diet, small study | About 29 mcg for women, 54 mcg for men |
| Balanced menus, per 2,000 calories | About 27 mcg, range 17 to 47 mcg |
| Multivitamins | 35 to 120 mcg |
| Chromium-only supplements | 200 to 500 mcg, some up to 1,000 mcg |
| Amounts in trials | Hundreds of mcg, up to 1,000 mcg |
The gap between need and dose is wide. A 1,000 mcg capsule is about 29 times a man's adequate intake at 35 mcg and 50 times an older woman's at 20 mcg.1
How much is too much?
No upper limit has been set. When US experts reviewed chromium in 2001, they found no adverse effects clearly linked to high intakes from food or supplements, but warned that the data were limited and that high intakes could still cause harm.1
The case reports of harm involve large amounts. One woman took 1,200 to 2,400 mcg of chromium picolinate a day for 4 to 5 months before serious kidney and liver problems, and a bodybuilder took 1,200 mcg over 48 hours before muscle breakdown. Single cases cannot show how often this happens.4,5
What's in ours
What’s in ours
- Men's Multi: Chromium, 120 mcg per serving, from the label
Questions people ask
Is 1,000 mcg of chromium too much?
No upper limit has been set, and 1,000 mcg was the top amount in many trials. It is still about 29 to 50 times an adult's adequate intake, and the case reports of kidney, liver and muscle harm involved 1,200 mcg or more. Ask your doctor before taking that much, especially if you have kidney or liver disease.1,4,5
Do I need a chromium supplement?
Probably not. Small US studies suggest typical diets supply about as much as the adequate intake, deficiency has not been reported in healthy people, and the only graded benefit is early evidence.1,2
How much chromium is in a multivitamin?
Usually 35 to 120 mcg. Even 35 mcg meets or exceeds the adequate intake for every adult group except women who are breastfeeding, whose amount is 45 mcg.1
See what we make
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Sources
- National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Chromium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Updated June 2, 2022. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Chromium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Updated March 22, 2021. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Hallmark MA, Reynolds TH, DeSouza CA, Dotson CO, Anderson RA, Rogers MA. Effects of chromium and resistive training on muscle strength and body composition. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28(1):139-144. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Cerulli J, Grabe DW, Gauthier I, Malone M, McGoldrick MD. Chromium picolinate toxicity. Ann Pharmacother. 1998;32(4):428-431. Opened 2026-10-07.
- Martin WR, Fuller RE. Suspected chromium picolinate-induced rhabdomyolysis. Pharmacotherapy. 1998;18(4):860-862. Opened 2026-10-07.
This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.