Nutritionists and supplement manufacturers have promoted the idea that chromium(III) is essential for health, however, evidence has been lacking.

Now, tests on rats given a six-month diet from which as much chromium(III) as possible was removed and compared with rats given Cr(III) supplements have shown that the element has no dietary benefits. Rats deprived of the element had the same body mass, metabolized glucose at the same rate, and showed no differences in other health indicators.

This and previous studies firmly demonstrate that supplementation with this element is pointless.

• Chromium is not an essential trace element for mammals: effects of a “low-chromium” diet
  K. R. Di Bona, S. Love, N. R. Rhodes, D. McAdory, S. Halder Sinha et al.,
  J. Biol. Inorg. Chem. 2010.
  DOI: 10.1007/s00775-010-0734-y