Is chromium picolinate safe?

Q: My concern about adding chromium picolinate to my diet, as with any metal, is toxicity. Laboratory studies have suggested that [chromium picolinate] could damage genetic material in animal cells. Might this cause cancer?

A: Thank you for raising these important issues. I'll take this opportunity to respond to these concerns at some length. First I'll address the question of heavy metal toxicity and, then, I'll point to the safety of Chromax® chromium picolinate.

Heavy metal toxicity
Chromium exists in many forms. Two common forms are trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium. Trivalent chromium, which includes chromium picolinate, is safe and essential for normal functioning of the human body. Hexavalent chromium is a form of chromium that is produced in industrial processes and which is toxic at high levels.

Trivalent chromium and hexavalent chromium are as different as chlorine gas is from sodium chloride (table salt). Table salt and chlorine gas both contain the element chlorine, but in different chemical states. Chlorine gas is toxic and sodium chloride is used to season food.

Does chromium cause chromosomal damage?
The short answer is: both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.K. Food Standards Agency (FSA) have acknowledged the safety of chromium picolinate.

Here’s the long answer: The tests that raised questions about chromium picolinate's safety are outdated and have been disproved by recent experiments.

In 1995, Diane Stearns, Ph.D., reported on results that suggested that chromium picolinate damaged DNA and might, therefore, increase the risk of cancer. Dr. Stearns extracted cells from the ovaries of Chinese hamsters and put them in Petri dishes, to which she added a mixture of trivalent chromium picolinate, chromium chloride, and picolinic acid. Then she examined the cells and found that the chromosomes in some of them had been damaged.

The Stearns’ study is of limited scientific applicability for at least four reasons:

1) The experiment was not conducted in living animals. Rather it was performed in a Petri dish. It was a so-called "test-tube" experiment. The result of test-tube experiments cannot be reliably extrapolated to humans.

2) The cells in the Petri dishes were treated with very high concentrations of chromium.

3) The type of chromium picolinate that most people take -- the type that is readily found on the shelves of grocery, pharmacy and health-food stores -- was not used. Rather, Sterns used chromium picolinate made in a laboratory.

4) The experiment was not conducted in accordance with internationally accepted guidelines.

As a result of the Stearns’ study, Dr. Richard Anderson, a lead researcher and chromium expert at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), decided to evaluate chromium's safety in living animals by supplementing rats' diets with large amounts of chromium picolinate. The results of his study found no toxicity. Based on his review of the Stearns’ study and on his results, Dr. Anderson concluded that the Stearns’ study was "extremely questionable."

In 2003, the U.K. Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) raised some initial questions about chromium picolinate’s safety based on the same Stearns’ data. When questions were later raised about some of Stearns’ findings and conclusions upon which the EVM concerns were based, the U.K. FSA conducted a review of chromium's safety. As part of their review, the agency requested a repeat of the Stearns’ tests that would be conducted according to internationally accepted guidelines and using commercially available Chromax® chromium picolinate, which was supplied by Nutrition 21. The repeat tests were conducted by Ron Slesinski, PhD, DABT, a senior scientist at ENVIRON Health Sciences. This study did not show any evidence of genetic damage in hamster ovary cells. Dr. Slesinski commented, "The new findings are consistent with many previous studies showing chromium picolinate is safe."

As a result of the demonstrated safety of chromium picolinate, the U.K.Committee on Mutagenicity (COM) issued an official opinion on December 13, 2004, stating that, based on the balance of the data, chromium should be regarded as not being genotoxic in vitro and that no further testing was advised. In addition, on the same day the FSA announced that consumers can feel confident that chromium picolinate is a safe nutritional supplement, revising earlier recommendations.

Based on the extensive safety dossier supporting Chromax® chromium picolinate, in 2005 Nutrition 21 received green lights for continued sale of Chromax® in 19 European Community (EC) countries through 2009. In addition, in August 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed a qualified health claim for chromium picolinate which confirms that chromium picolinate is a safe nutritional supplement [under the requirements of 21 CFR 101.14(b)(3)(ii)].

In short, Chromax® chromium picolinate is one of the safest nutritional supplements.

I hope I have answered your questions fully.