Skip to main content Skip to navigation

Serum Chromium Test – Indications, Procedures, Results

Last updated: February 8, 2026 Medically reviewed by: RxHarun Orthopedic Specialist Doctor Reading time: 12 min read

A serum chromium blood test is used to determine chromium levels for deficiency or toxicity. Chromium is a mineral that the body uses in small doses for typical body functions, like digesting food. It also helps to move glucose into cells to use as energy, as well as to turn carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into energy.

Chromium is a mineral that affects insulin, carbohydrate, fat, and protein levels in the body. This article discusses the test to check the amount of chromium in your blood.

How the Test is Performed

A blood sample is needed. Most of the time blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.

How to Prepare for the Test

You should stop taking mineral supplements and multivitamins for at least several days before the test. Ask your health care provider if there are other medicines you should stop taking before testing. Also, let your provider know if you have recently had contrast agents containing gadolinium or iodine as part of an imaging study. These substances can interfere with testing.

How the Test will Feel

You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn.

Why the Test is Performed

This test may be done to diagnose chromium poisoning or deficiency.

Normal Results

Serum chromium level normally is less than or equal to 1.4 micrograms/milliliter (µg/mL) or 26924.80 nanomoles/L (nmol/L).

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Increased chromium level may result if you are overexposed to the substance. This may happen if you work in the following industries:

  • Leather tanning
  • Electroplating
  • Steel manufacturing

Decreased chromium level only occurs in people who receive all of their nutrition by vein (total parenteral nutrition or TPN) and do not get enough chromium.

Considerations

Test results may be altered if the sample is collected in a metal tube.

FAQ

What does a high chromium level mean?

  • High Chromium Levels: Greater than 1ng/mL
  • According to the Mayo Clinic Medical Laboratories, “blood serum concentrations greater than 1ng/mL in a patient with Cr-based implant suggest significant prosthesis wear.” Their research also indicates that these levels increase the longer you have the hip implant
  • High Chromium Levels: Greater than 1ng/mL

How do you test for chromium toxicity?

  • The presence of chromium and chromium complexes in biologic complexes can be determined using chromatographic and colorimetric techniques; patch testing and lymphocyte proliferation testing have been used to determine chromium sensitivity

What causes high chromium levels?

  • Smoking, eating, cooking with stainless steel utensils and cookware, and having chrome orthopedic devices implanted can all result in chromium exposures.

What are the symptoms of chromium deficiency?

  • Symptoms of chromium deficiency may include weight loss, confusion, impaired coordination, and a reduced response to sugar (glucose) in the blood, increasing the risk of diabetes. Treatment of chromium deficiency may involve chromium supplements.

What diseases can be caused by chromium?

  • Chromium is very toxic by inhalation and dermal route and causes lung cancer, nasal irritation, nasal ulcer and hypersensitivity reactions like contact dermatitis and asthma.

What is a normal chromium level?

  • Normal Human Levels of chromium in serum and urine are 0.10–0.16 and 0.22 µg/L, respectively.

Can chromium cause shortness of breath?

  • Shortness of breath, coughing, and wheezing were reported from a case of acute exposure to chromium (VI), while perforations and ulcerations of the septum, bronchitis, decreased pulmonary function, pneumonia, and other respiratory effects have been noted from chronic exposure.

What are the harmful effects of chromium?

  • Adverse health effects associated with Cr(VI) exposure include occupational asthma, eye irritation and damage, perforated eardrums, respiratory irritation, kidney damage, liver damage, pulmonary congestion and edema, upper abdominal pain, nose irritation and damage, respiratory cancer, skin irritation, and erosion

What is chromium poisoning?

  • Chromium toxicity refers to any poisonous toxic effect in an organism or cell that results from exposure to specific forms of chromium—especially hexavalent chromium. Hexavalent chromium and its compounds are toxic when inhaled or ingested. Trivalent chromium is a trace mineral that is essential to human nutrition.

What foods contain chromium?

Get tips, tools, and healthy recipes in the Mood Foods Challenge.
  • Grape juice. Grape juice is an excellent source of chromium.
  • Whole wheat flour. Eating whole wheat products may help you add more chromium to your diet.
  • Brewer’s yeast.
  • Orange juice.
  • Beef.
  • Tomato juice.
  • Apples.
  • Green beans.

What causes chromium deficiency?

  • Additional forms of chromium loss are found during long periods of stress such as pregnancy, infection, physical trauma, and strenuous exercise. Exercise has been shown to induce chromium loss in athletes and lead to chromium deficiency resulting in impaired insulin function

What chromium is used for?

  • A hard, silvery metal with a blue tinge. Chromium is used to harden steel, manufacture stainless steel (named as it won’t rust), and produce several alloys. Chromium plating can be used to give a polished mirror finish to steel.

Does chromium affect sleep?

  • The good news is that most people are able to take chromium without any problem. The most common side effects are trouble sleeping at the beginning of taking chromium supplements; lots of vivid dreams; and mild tremors.

Who should not take chromium picolinate?

  • For most people, yes. But chromium picolinate should not be used by people with kidney or liver disease. 1 If you’re on insulin, anti-diabetes medications, or levothyroxine, talk to your doctor before taking a chromium picolinate supplement.

What are the symptoms of too much chromium?

  • Chromium has been used safely in doses of 200-1000 mcg daily for up to 2 years. Some people experience side effects such as stomach upset, headaches, insomnia, and mood changes. High doses have been linked to more serious side effects including liver or kidney damage.

Is chromium good for the immune system?

  • Chromium is of significant importance in altering the immune response by immunostimulatory or immunosuppressive processes as shown by its effects on T and B lymphocytes, macrophages, cytokine production and the immune response that may induce hypersensitivity reactions.

Can you take magnesium and chromium together?

  • Combined chromium and magnesium decrease insulin resistance more effectively than alone. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2016 Dec;25(4):747-753. doi: 10.6133/apjcn.

What are the signs and symptoms of Metallosis?

Metallosis: Symptoms of Metal Poisoning
  • Metallic taste in your mouth.
  • Early morning nausea.
  • Physical signs of implant failure (popping, squeaking, or pain in the hip)
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Ringing in your ears or hearing loss.
  • Depression and anxiety.
  • Blurry vision.
  • Headaches.

How are people exposed to chromium?

  • The U.S. is one of the world’s leading producers of chromium compounds. How are people exposed to hexavalent chromium? Hexavalent chromium exposure occurs through breathing it in, ingesting it in food or water, or direct contact with the skin.

How do you treat chromium poisoning?

  • No proven antidote is available for chromium poisoning.
  • Treatment in cases of acute high-level chromium exposure is usually supportive and symptomatic.
  • Treatment consists of removal of the patient from further chromium exposure, reliance on the body’s naturally rapid clearance of the metal, and symptomatic management.

How much chromium is too much?

  • Some researchers suggest that 1,000 micrograms a day should be considered the upper limit. Excessive doses of chromium may actually worsen insulin sensitivity. The doses used in clinical studies vary. For example, for diabetes, people have taken 200-1,000 micrograms daily, split two to three times a day.

How is chromium excreted from the body?

  • Excretion of absorbed chromium occurs primarily via urine. In humans, the kidney excretes about 60% of an absorbed Cr(VI) dose in the form of Cr(III) within 8 hours of ingestion.

Does chromium reduce weight?

  • In addition to its effects on glucose, insulin, and lipid metabolism, chromium has been reported to increase lean body mass and decrease the percentage of body fat, which may lead to weight loss in humans.
  • Common Foods and Chromium Content (mcg): Egg yolk – 183. Brewer’s yeast – 112. Beef – 57. Cheese – 56.Apr 3, 2008

What is the best source of chromium?

  • Foods high in chromium, Some of the best sources of chromium are broccoli, liver, and brewer’s yeast. Potatoes, whole grains, seafood, and meats also contain chromium.

Can chromium cause peripheral neuropathy?

  • Neuropathy and glucose intolerance may occur despite increased serum chromium levels and respond to chromium infusion. The previous use of drugs such as metronidazole should not exclude chromium as a potential treatment for neuropathy in HPN patients.

Which chromium is best for weight loss?

  • Chromium picolinate
  • Chromium picolinate is a form of mineral chromium that can be found in supplements. Many of these products claim to improve nutrient metabolism and produce weight loss.

How much chromium is needed daily?

  • An Adequate Intake (AI) was set as an estimated safe and adequate daily dietary intake for chromium. AI: The AI for men ages 19-50 years is 35 micrograms daily, and for women ages 19-50 years, 25 micrograms daily. Men and women older than 50 years require slightly less, at 30 and 20 micrograms daily, respectively.

Is chromium good for diabetes?

  • Some evidence suggests that chromium supplements may help people with diabetes lower blood sugar levels. People with diabetes either do not make enough insulin or cannot properly use the insulin that their bodies make. As a result, glucose or sugar builds up in the bloodstream.

How long does it take chromium to work?

  • Blood glucose has been noted to improve within 12 to 24 hours after treatment. The intravenous form of chromium is chromic chloride. Chromium can be taken alone. However, it is commonly included in multi-mineral formulations.

What’s the difference between chromium and chromium picolinate?

  • However, chromium picolinate is an alternate form of chromium that is absorbed better. For this reason, this type is commonly found in dietary supplements ( 3 , 6 ). Chromium picolinate is the mineral chromium attached to three molecules of picolinic acid ( 3 ). Chromium is a mineral found in low doses in many foods.

Is chromium a blood thinner?

  • Chromium is possibly effective in lowering blood lipids and maintaining glycemic control. Chromium is likely ineffective for weight loss.

Does chromium raise blood pressure?

  • It has been reported that low plasma chromium was connected with high blood pressure in patients with T2DM. Furthermore, some studies have reported that chromium supplementation may improve blood pressure levels.

Is chromium anti-inflammatory?

  • The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of chromium have been demonstrated by Chen et al. (19) in mice on a high-fat diet. The use of chromium was shown to minimize the negative effects of this type of diet and inhibit the progression of diet-induced fatty liver.

Does chromium accumulate in the body?

  • In the blood, most chromium is bound to plasma proteins, particularly transferrin, and only about 5% is unbound [5,12]. Chromium accumulates mainly in the liver, spleen, soft tissue, and bone

Does chromium affect iron absorption?

  • Manganese and chromium are also known to compete with iron for absorption in the digestive tract and binding to transferrin, which ultimately disrupts iron homeostasis and may exacerbate iron deficiency anemia.

What are the symptoms of chromium and cobalt poisoning?

Symptoms
  • Cardiomyopathy (a problem where your heart becomes big and floppy and has problems pumping blood)
  • Deafness.
  • Nerve problems.
  • Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
  • Thickening of the blood.
  • Thyroid problems.
  • Vision problems.

What diseases can be caused by chromium?

  • Chromium is very toxic by inhalation and dermal route and causes lung cancer, nasal irritation, nasal ulcer and hypersensitivity reactions like contact dermatitis and asthma.

Which form of chromium is toxic?

  • Trivalent chromium, or chromium(III), is the form of chromium that is essential to human health. Hexavalent chromium, or chromium(VI), is an unequivocally toxic form.

What illnesses are related to exposure to chromium?

  • Adverse health effects associated with Cr(VI) exposure include occupational asthma, eye irritation and damage, perforated eardrums, respiratory irritation, kidney damage, liver damage, pulmonary congestion and edema, upper abdominal pain, nose irritation and damage, respiratory cancer, skin irritation, and erosion.

What signs are related to chromium?

  • Breathing in high levels of hexavalent chromium can cause irritation to the nose and throat. Symptoms may include runny nose, sneezing, coughing, itching, and a burning sensation. Repeated or prolonged exposure can cause sores to develop in the nose and result in nosebleeds.

What are the symptoms of being slowly poisoned?

General symptoms of poisoning can include:
  • feeling and being sick.
  • diarrhea.
  • stomach pain.
  • drowsiness, dizziness or weakness.
  • high temperature.
  • chills (shivering)
  • loss of appetite.
  • headache.

What causes high chromium levels?

  • Smoking, eating and cooking with stainless steel utensils and cookware, and having chrome orthopedic devices implanted can all result in chromium exposures.

What are the signs of chromium deficiency?

  • Chromium supplements do not enhance muscle size or strength. Symptoms of chromium deficiency may include weight loss, confusion, impaired coordination, and a reduced response to sugar (glucose) in blood, increasing the risk of diabetes. Treatment of chromium deficiency may involve chromium supplements.

What happens if you have too much chromium?

  • There have been some reports of chromium causing occasional irregular heartbeats, sleep disturbances, headaches, mood changes, and allergic reactions. Chromium may increase the risk of kidney or liver damage. If you have kidney or liver disease, do not take chromium without talking to your doctor first.

What causes a chromium deficiency?

  • Additional forms of chromium loss are found during long periods of stress such as pregnancy, infection, physical trauma, and strenuous exercise. Exercise has been shown to induce chromium loss in athletes and lead to chromium deficiency resulting in impaired insulin function.

What is the best form of chromium to take?

  • According to research, the best tolerated and most easily absorbed form of chromium is chromium picolinate. Chromium is widely available over the counter and is one of the most commonly used supplements.

Does chromium help neuropathy?

  • The administration of chromium can reverse manifestations of severe neuropathy, nerve conduction abnormalities and hyperglycemia in the patient. Chromium is an essential metal that plays a role in many metabolic processes and in homeostasis.

How much chromium should I take daily for weight loss?

  • Whether choosing chromium for weight loss or other health benefits it is essential to include it in a healthy diet. It is not recommended to take more than 1,000 mcg per day.

How long does it take for chromium to leave the body?

  • Excretion of absorbed chromium occurs primarily via urine. In humans, the kidney excretes about 60% of an absorbed Cr(VI) dose in the form of Cr(III) within 8 hours of ingestion.

What is a normal chromium level?

  • Normal Human Levels, levels of chromium in serum and urine are 0.10–0.16 and 0.22 µg/L, respectively.

What causes high chromium levels?

  • Smoking, eating and cooking with stainless steel utensils and cookware, and having chrome orthopedic devices implanted can all result in chromium exposures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

Add references, clinical guidelines, textbooks, journal articles, or trusted medical sources here. You can edit this area later with a custom field named _rx_references.

Related Articles

Hemoglobin A1c Test

November 6, 202521 min read0 views

The hemoglobin A1c test—also known as glycated hemoglobin, glycosylated hemoglobin, HbA1c, or simply A1c—is used to measure an individual’s glucose control levels. The test shows average…

Read more

Orbital Decompression Surgery

August 18, 202518 min read0 views

Orbital decompression is an operation to make more room inside the eye socket. The eye socket is called the “orbit.” It is a cone-shaped…

Read more

Olfactory Nerve Disorders

May 8, 20248 min read0 views

Olfactory nerve disorders affect our sense of smell. This can impact our ability to enjoy food, detect danger like gas leaks, or even notice…

Read more

Written by Dr. Harun Ar Rashid, MD - Arthritis, Bones, Joints Pain, Trauma, and Internal Medicine Specialist

Dr. Md. Harun Ar Rashid, MPH, MD, PhD, is a highly respected medical specialist celebrated for his exceptional clinical expertise and unwavering commitment to patient care. With advanced qualifications including MPH, MD, and PhD, he integrates cutting-edge research with a compassionate approach to medicine, ensuring that every patient receives personalized and effective treatment. His extensive training and hands-on experience enable him to diagnose complex conditions accurately and develop innovative treatment strategies tailored to individual needs. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Harun Ar Rashid is dedicated to medical education and research, writing and inventory creative thinking, innovative idea, critical care managementing make in his community to outreach, often participating in initiatives that promote health awareness and advance medical knowledge. His career is a testament to the high standards represented by his credentials, and he continues to contribute significantly to his field, driving improvements in both patient outcomes and healthcare practices. Born and educated in Bangladesh, Dr. Rashid earned his BPT from the University of Dhaka before pursuing postgraduate training internationally. He completed his MD in Internal Medicine at King’s College London, where he developed a special interest in inflammatory arthritis and metabolic bone disease. He then undertook a PhD in Orthopedic Science at the University of Oxford, conducting pioneering research on cytokine signaling pathways in rheumatoid arthritis. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Rashid returned to clinical work with a fellowship in interventional pain management at the Rx University School of Medicine, refining his skills in image-guided joint injections and minimally invasive pain-relief techniques.