Chromium

Single-ingredient chromium reference formula at 200 mcg per serving, developed as a capsule or tablet.

Chromium is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient trace mineral product at a default amount of 200 mcg (0.2 mg) of elemental chromium per serving. Chromium is the only active ingredient, so the development work sits with a microgram-level mineral: the choice of chromium salt, the premix that carries it, and the content uniformity of every unit.

Capsule is the lead format because a chromium premix blends into a standard fill, while the tablet uses the same premix in a compression system. Reference amounts of 400 to 1000 mcg sit beside the default for brands that want a higher tier, and the final amount is a decision for the brand and its market.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Chromium200 mcg (default amount)Chromium picolinate as a premix on a carrier, specified on elemental chromium content; 200 mcg chromium per servingChromium chloride or chromium nicotinate, with the input recalculated to 200 mcg of elemental chromium

Amounts are stated as mcg of elemental chromium (Cr, 51.996 g/mol; PubChem CID 23976); 200 mcg equals 0.2 mg. Chromium picolinate (C18H12CrN3O6, 418.3 g/mol; CID 151932) is 12.4% chromium by weight, so 200 mcg of chromium needs about 1,609 mcg (1.6 mg) of the salt. The salt assay and any hydrate state are set with the supplier.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around daily chromium intake and metabolic nutrition. Chromium is included as the only active so that the salt, the amount and the premix can be set without interaction with other actives.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Daily chromium intakeChromiumIncluded as a trace mineral for which the Food and Nutrition Board found the data insufficient to derive an Estimated Average Requirement and set no upper level, because no adverse effects have been linked to high intakes from food or supplements [2]. Evidence: Referenced
Glycemic nutritionChromiumA meta-analysis of 28 randomized trials in type 2 diabetes reported lower fasting glucose, insulin, HbA1c and insulin resistance after chromium supplementation, with very high heterogeneity between trials [1]. Evidence: Mixed

Chromium is dosed in micrograms, so a clear stated amount keeps the premix plan short. The trials in [1] differ widely in design and dose, which leaves the amount and the claims on a finished product to the brand, reviewed for each sales market.

Available Formats

The chromium reference formula is built for a capsule version and a tablet version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Capsule1 capsule200 mcg60 or 90 capsulesRice flour, flow agent, gelatin or vegetable capsule shellLead format; premix in a small fill
Tablet1 tablet200 mcg60 or 120 tabletsCellulose, binder, disintegrant, lubricantCompressed unit

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The input is the chromium amount divided by the chromium content of the salt at an assumed 100% assay, and the salt is carried in a 5% premix on a carrier. Chromium picolinate at 12.4% chromium gives 1.61 mg of salt, or 32 mg of premix, for 200 mcg of chromium.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Capsule32 mg premix (200 mcg chromium)180 mg per capsule148 mgBlend uniformity, fill weight variation, content assay of chromium
Tablet32 mg premix (200 mcg chromium)150 mg tablet weight118 mgContent uniformity, hardness, disintegration, content assay of chromium

Liquid and powder versions are separate projects, because a microgram-level mineral in a dissolving format needs its own solubility and stability work.

Formulation Considerations

Microgram load in a premix. The salt weight per unit is only about 1.6 mg, so the active is a tiny part of the blend. The premix dilution and the blending order are set first, and content uniformity of the first units decides whether the dilution holds.
Chromium salt choice. Chromium picolinate is the lead salt in the design because its chromium content is known from the molecular weight. Other salts carry different chromium percentages and need a supplier assay before the input is fixed.
Elemental chromium on the label. The label amount is the weight of chromium, not of the salt. The specification states the chromium assay of the premix, and the content assay of finished units is run as elemental chromium.
Amount tier and evidence. The meta-analysis in [1] reports very high heterogeneity, and the Food and Nutrition Board set no upper level [2]. Amount tiers of 200 to 1000 mcg are carried as options, and the dose limit for each sales market is reviewed before a product is developed.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the amount per serving, the chromium salt, the format and the add-ons.

ParameterRangeNote
Amount per serving200, 400, 500 or 1000 mcgOptions for the brand; premix weight per unit scales with the tier
Chromium saltPicolinate, chloride or nicotinateChromium percent differs by salt; input recalculated from the supplier assay
FormatCapsule or tabletLiquid and powder are separate projects
Pack size30 to 120 unitsSet by the brand
Add-onsZinc, vitamin B complex, alpha-lipoic acidA second active shifts the premix weight and the uniformity check

The pilot run confirms blend uniformity of the chromium premix, capsule fill weight and tablet hardness, and the content assay of elemental chromium in the first units against the labeled 200 mcg.

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (200 mcg on the label of CF000276; example DSLD labels 1811, 1812, 6419). The label names the ingredient as chromium; chromium picolinate is set as the form.
SpecificationSet in formulationChromium picolinate premix, 200 mcg elemental chromium per serving; assay, premix dilution and limits and method are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Asbaghi O, Fatemeh N, Mahnaz RK, et al. Effects of chromium supplementation on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pharmacol Res. 2020;161:105098. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Chromium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. Source

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