Can I take chromium while breast feeding?

Question:
I have suffered from depression and anxiety for almost 20 years. I would like to try the Chromax chromium but I am currently breastfeeding. Is it safe to take while breastfeeding or should I wait until after my baby is weaned?

Answer:
Thank you so much for your question. Several people, including my daugher and daughers-in-law, have asked this same question.
You may be able to find the answer to your question by going to the web page of the Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), which is a branch of the National Institutes of Health. The ODS does recommend supplementation with chromium while breast feeding, but the recommend amount is less than that required to lift depression in my non-breast-feeding patients. In other words, I wonder if the amount the ODS recommends is too small to help with depression in a breastfeeding woman. In the absence of an abundant literature on larger amounts of chromium while breast feeding, you must make a personal decision whether to take larger amounts.

I wish you well and hope you get back to me with your decision and results.
Malcolm McLeod