Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Review Article
  • Published:

The effects of chromium supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 76, pages 340–349 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Results of studies on the effect of chromium supplementation on blood pressure (BP) are contradictory. The purpose of the current study was to carry out a meta-analysis on the effects of chromium supplementation on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). We conducted a systematic literature search of PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase databases from inception up to July 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluate the impacts of chromium on SBP and DBP. A random-effects model was used to compute weighted mean differences (WMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Heterogeneity was determined by I2 statistics and the Cochrane Q test. Sensitivity analysis was performed by eliminating each study one by one and recalculating the pooled effect. Ten studies comprising a total of 624 subjects were included in our meta-analysis. Chromium supplementation did not significantly change SBP (WMD: −0.642: 95% CI: (−2.15, 1.30) mmHg; p = 0.312; I2 = 12.7%) and DBP (WMD: −0.10; 95% CI: (−1.39, 1.18) mmHg; p = 0.070; I2 = 37.6%). Subgroup analysis based on dose and duration of chromium supplementation also did not significantly change the mean of SBP and DBP. The present meta-analysis of RCTs did not show the beneficial effects of chromium supplementation on BP in adults.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on SpringerLink
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on SBP.
Fig. 3: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on DBP.
Fig. 4: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on SBP.
Fig. 5: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on SBP.
Fig. 6: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on DBP.
Fig. 7: Meta-analysis of the effects of chromium on DBP.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kumar J. Epidemiology of hypertension. Clin Queries: Nephrol. 2013;2:56–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Fuchs FD, Whelton PK. High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Hypertension. 2020;75:285–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Matsumoto K, Jin Z, Homma S, Elkind MS, Rundek T, Mannina C, et al. Association between central blood pressure and subclinical cerebrovascular disease in older adults. Hypertension. 2020;75:580–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tozawa M, Iseki K, Iseki C, Kinjo K, Ikemiya Y, Takishita S. Blood pressure predicts risk of developing end-stage renal disease in men and women. Hypertension. 2003;41:1341–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Castro I, Waclawovsky G, Marcadenti A. Nutrition and physical activity on hypertension: implication of current evidence and guidelines. Curr Hypertens Rev. 2015;11:91–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Askarpour M, Ghaedi E, Roshanravan N, Hadi A, Mohammadi H, Symonds ME, et al. Policosanol supplementation significantly improves blood pressure among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Complement Ther Med. 2019.

  7. Elmer PJ, Obarzanek E, Vollmer WM, Simons-Morton D, Stevens VJ, Young DR, et al. Effects of comprehensive lifestyle modification on diet, weight, physical fitness, and blood pressure control: 18-month results of a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:485–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Xin X, He J, Frontini MG, Ogden LG, Motsamai OI, Whelton PK. Effects of alcohol reduction on blood pressure: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Hypertension. 2001;38:1112–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Avila-Palencia I, Laeremans M, Hoffmann B, Anaya-Boig E, Carrasco-Turigas G, Cole-Hunter T, et al. Effects of physical activity and air pollution on blood pressure. Environ Res. 2019;173:387–96.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Cooper JA, Anderson BF, Buckley PD, Blackwell LF. Structure and biological activity of nitrogen and oxygen coordinated nicotinic acid complexes of chromium. Inorg Chim Acta. 1984;91:1–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Preuss H, Grojec P, Lieberman S, Anderson R. Effects of different chromium compounds on blood pressure and lipid peroxidation in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Clin Nephrol. 1997;47:325–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products N, Allergies. Scientific opinion on dietary reference values for chromium. EFSA J 2014;12:3845.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Tao Y, editor. Progress in chromium research and related diseases. AIP Conference Proceedings; 2019. AIP Publishing LLC.

  14. Preuss HG, Echard B, Perricone NV, Bagchi D, Yasmin T, Stohs SJ. Comparing metabolic effects of six different commercial trivalent chromium compounds. J Inorg Biochem. 2008;102:1986–90.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Sharma S, Agrawal RP, Choudhary M, Jain S, Goyal S, Agarwal V. Beneficial effect of chromium supplementation on glucose, HbA1C and lipid variables in individuals with newly onset type-2 diabetes. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011;25:149–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Vrtovec M, Vrtovec B, Briski A, Kocijancic A, Anderson RA, Radovancevic B. Chromium supplementation shortens QTc interval duration in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am Heart J. 2005;149:632–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. Ann Intern Med. 2009;151:264–9. w64

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Higgins J, Green S. Assessing risk of bias in included studies. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions Version 5.1. 0; 2011. 2008.

  19. Hozo SP, Djulbegovic B, Hozo I. Estimating the mean and variance from the median, range, and the size of a sample. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2005;5:13.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  20. Chen Y-L, Lin J-D, Hsia T-L, Mao FC, Hsu C-H, Pei D. The effect of chromium on inflammatory markers, 1st and 2nd phase insulin secretion in type 2 diabetes. Eur J Nutr. 2014;53:127–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kleefstra N, Houweling ST, Bakker SJ, Verhoeven S, Gans RO, Meyboom-de JB. Chromium treatment has no effect in patients with type 2 diabetes in a Western population: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2007;30:1092–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Ali A, Ma Y, Reynolds J, Wise J Sr, Inzucchi S, Katz D. Chromium effects on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in persons at risk for diabetes mellitus. Endocr Pract. 2011;17:16–25.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  23. Farrokhian A, Mahmoodian M, Bahmani F, Amirani E, Shafabakhsh R, Asemi Z. The influences of chromium supplementation on metabolic status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and coronary heart disease. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2020;194:313–20.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Kleefstra N, Houweling ST, Jansman FG, Groenier KH, Gans RO, Meyboom-de Jong B, et al. Chromium treatment has no effect in patients with poorly controlled, insulin-treated type 2 diabetes in an obese Western population: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Diabetes Care. 2006;29:521–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Nussbaumerova B, Rosolova H, Krizek M, Sefrna F, Racek J, Müller L, et al. Chromium supplementation reduces resting heart rate in patients with metabolic syndrome and impaired glucose tolerance. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2018;183:192–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Yazaki Y, Faridi Z, Ma Y, Ali A, Northrup V, Njike VY, et al. A pilot study of chromium picolinate for weight loss. J Alter Complement Med. 2010;16:291–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Imanparast F, Javaheri J, Kamankesh F, Rafiei F, Salehi A, Mollaaliakbari Z, et al. The effects of chromium and vitamin D3 co-supplementation on insulin resistance and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in type 2 diabetes: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2020;45:471–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Cefalu WT, Hu FB. Role of chromium in human health and in diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2004;27:2741–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. DesMarias TL, Costa M. Mechanisms of chromium-induced toxicity. Curr Opin Toxicol. 2019;14:1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Asbaghi O, Fatemeh N, Mahnaz RK, Ehsan G, Elham E, Behzad N, 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. 2020:105098.

  31. Asbaghi O, Naeini F, Ashtary-Larky D, Moradi S, Zakeri N, Eslampour E, et al. Effects of chromium supplementation on lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2021:126741.

  32. Ormazabal V, Nair S, Elfeky O, Aguayo C, Salomon C, Zuñiga FA. Association between insulin resistance and the development of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2018;17:1–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Choudhury KN, Mainuddin A, Wahiduzzaman M, Islam SMS. Serum lipid profile and its association with hypertension in Bangladesh. Vasc Health Risk Manag. 2014;10:327.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Ngala RA, Awe MA, Nsiah P. The effects of plasma chromium on lipid profile, glucose metabolism and cardiovascular risk in type 2 diabetes mellitus. A case-control study. PLoS ONE. 2018;13:e0197977.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  35. Mozaffari MS, Baban B, Abdelsayed R, Liu JY, Wimborne H, Rodriguez N, et al. Renal and glycemic effects of high-dose chromium picolinate in db/db mice: assessment of DNA damage. J Nutr Biochem. 2012;23:977–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Anderson EA, Hoffman R, Balon T, Sinkey C, Mark A. Hyperinsulinemia produces both sympathetic neural activation and vasodilation in normal humans. Eur J Clin Investig. 1991;87:2246–52.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Perlstein TS, Gerhard-Herman M, Hollenberg NK, Williams GH, Thomas A. Insulin induces renal vasodilation, increases plasma renin activity, and sensitizes the renal vasculature to angiotensin receptor blockade in healthy subjects. J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007;18:944–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Suksomboon N, Poolsup N, Yuwanakorn A. Systematic review and meta‐analysis of the efficacy and safety of chromium supplementation in diabetes. J Clin Pharm Ther. 2014;39:292–306.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Vincent JB. The biochemistry of chromium. J Nutr. 2000;130:715–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Lewicki S, Zdanowski R, Krzyzowska M, Lewicka A, Debski B, Niemcewicz M, et al. The role of Chromium III in the organism and its possible use in diabetes and obesity treatment. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2014;21:331–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Offenbacher EG, Pi-Sunyer FX. Beneficial effect of chromium-rich yeast on glucose tolerance and blood lipids in elderly subjects. Diabetes 1980;29:919–25.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Sadeghi M, Najaf Panah MJ, Bakhtiarizadeh MR, Emami A. Transcription analysis of genes involved in lipid metabolism reveals the role of chromium in reducing body fat in animal models. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2015;32:45–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Wilkinson IB, Prasad K, Hall IR, Thomas A, MacCallum H, Webb DJ, et al. Increased central pulse pressure and augmentation index in subjects with hypercholesterolemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2002;39:1005–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Kleefstra N, Houweling ST, Bilo HJ. Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose metabolism and lipids: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Diabetes Care. 2007;30:e102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Institute of Medicine Panel on M. Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicon, vanadium, and zinc. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US) Copyright 2001 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. 2001.

  46. Heimbach JT, Anderson RA. Chromium: recent studies regarding nutritional roles and safety. Nutr Today. 2005;40:189–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research did not receive any specific grant. We would like to express our thanks to the Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not 230 for-profit sectors.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Mahtab Ghanbari, Mohammad Reza Amini & Sakineh Shab-Bidar

  2. Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Kurosh Djafarian

Authors
  1. Mahtab Ghanbari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mohammad Reza Amini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kurosh Djafarian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sakineh Shab-Bidar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

MGH and SSB designed the study; MGH and MRA independently carried out the literature search and screening of the article; MRA analyzed the data and MGH and SSB contributed to the interpretation of the data. MGH wrote the manuscript and KD and SS-B critically revised the manuscript; SS-B supervised the study. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sakineh Shab-Bidar.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ghanbari, M., Amini, M.R., Djafarian, K. et al. The effects of chromium supplementation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Eur J Clin Nutr 76, 340–349 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00973-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00973-8

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links