Chromium is a mineral that humans need in very small quantities. Good sources include broccoli, liver, and brewers' yeast. Chromium supplements may enhance muscle mass, weight loss, and glucose control, but researchers are still working to confirm this.

Is chromium supplement necessary?

However, recent research has suggested that although chromium might have benefits at pharmacologic amounts (e.g., in the hundreds of mcg), it is not an essential mineral because an absence or deficiency of chromium does not produce abnormalities that can be reversed with the addition of chromium (see the Chromium ...

What happens if you don't have chromium?

What happens if we don't get enough chromium? The effects of a chromium deficiency in healthy people are not well known. Lack of chromium may affect glucose uptake into cells. It also may cause blood lipids to rise, which could increase risk for heart disease.