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No tolerable upper intake level (UL) has been set for chromium. The National Academies found too little data to set one for chromium. Health Canada, which uses the same values, adds that this "does not mean that there is no potential for adverse effects resulting from high intakes." That doesn’t make any amount safe for everyone: talk to your doctor about high doses.
Take several supplements? Add them all up in the Supplement Checker: it shows your chromium total next to the nutrients that do have a limit.
How much Chromium you need
| Age | Males | Females | Pregnancy | Breastfeeding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birth to 6 months | 0.2 mcg* | 0.2 mcg* | – | – |
| 7-12 months | 5.5 mcg* | 5.5 mcg* | – | – |
| 1-3 years | 11 mcg* | 11 mcg* | – | – |
| 4-8 years | 15 mcg* | 15 mcg* | – | – |
| 9-13 years | 25 mcg* | 21 mcg* | – | – |
| 14-18 years | 35 mcg* | 24 mcg* | 29 mcg* | 44 mcg* |
| 19-30 years | 35 mcg* | 25 mcg* | 30 mcg* | 45 mcg* |
| 31-50 years | 35 mcg* | 25 mcg* | 30 mcg* | 45 mcg* |
| 51-70 years | 30 mcg* | 20 mcg* | – | – |
| 71+ years | 30 mcg* | 20 mcg* | – | – |
* Adequate Intake (AI): the amount set when there isn’t enough evidence for an RDA.
What counts toward the Chromium limit
No upper limit (UL) has been set for chromium.
What happens with too much Chromium
Health Canada's DRI table footnote 17 says ULs for chromium 'could not be established' for lack of suitable data, and that 'This does not mean that there is no potential for adverse effects resulting from high intakes.' Its DRI definitions add that the absence of a UL 'does not necessarily mean that excessive intake poses no risk.'
Sources: Health Canada, Dietary Reference Intakes tables (the joint U.S.-Canada values). Limits checked November 8, 2026. More from the NIH: Office of Dietary Supplements Chromium fact sheet.
If you think you or a child took too much of a supplement, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 (U.S., free, 24 hours) or use poison.org. In an emergency, call 911.
General information, not medical advice. Your doctor may recommend a different amount, for example to treat a deficiency. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before you start, stop or change a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, take medication or have a medical condition.