Is chromium safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about chromium during pregnancy?

1. The adequate intake for chromium during pregnancy is 30 micrograms a day for ages 19 to 50, and 29 micrograms a day for ages 14 to 18, each a modest step up from non-pregnant needs. 1
2. No tolerable upper intake level has been set for chromium, since food and supplement intake has not been convincingly linked to harm, though isolated case reports describe kidney damage tied specifically to chromium picolinate supplements. 1
3. Chromium is described as a glucose tolerance factor that works alongside insulin to help regulate how the body handles carbohydrates, fat, and protein, though a review of the research found that chromium supplementation did not meaningfully improve insulin resistance or blood sugar control. 2
4. A systematic review and meta-analysis of maternal chromium levels found no significant difference between women with gestational diabetes and those without, though the underlying studies varied widely and the authors called for larger research before drawing firm conclusions. 3
5. In an animal study, pregnant mice fed a chromium-restricted diet had offspring with altered insulin-signaling genes and higher blood sugar as adults, illustrating chromium's proposed role in glucose regulation, though this has not been established as a human pregnancy dosing effect. 4

Is chromium safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. The chromium target barely moves from before pregnancy, so if your prenatal already covers it, there is nothing new to do here. Nausea can make swallowing another pill unappealing, but chromium is easy to get from food too, including meat, whole grains, and vegetables.
• Second trimester. Needs stay flat at 30 micrograms a day, or 29 for teens. Chromium works alongside insulin to help regulate blood sugar, which is part of why some people ask about it around the same time as glucose screening, though research has not settled whether chromium levels affect gestational diabetes risk.
• Third trimester. Still the same target, with no new caution added for this trimester. If gestational diabetes has come up in your care, ask your provider before adding a separate chromium supplement rather than assuming it plays a role in glucose management.

Chromium adequate intake during pregnancy