Chromium intake, absorption and excretion of subjects consuming self-selected diets

Chromium (Cr) content of the self-selected diets of 10 adult males and 22 females was determined. Each subject collected duplicate food and beverage samples on a daily basis for seven consecutive days. The 7-day average intake for males was 33 ± 3 µg (mean ± SEM), range 22–48 µg, and intake for females was 25 ± 1, range 13–36. Mean Cr intake per 1000 cal was approximately 15 µg. Approximately 90% of the diets analyzed were below the minimum suggested safe and adequate daily intake for Cr of 50 µg. Chromium absorption was inversely related to dietary intake; absorption at a dietary Cr intake of 10 µg was approximately 2% and, with increasing intake to 40µg, Cr absorption decreased to 0.5%. These data demonstrate that the average daily intake of chromium from self-selected diets is well below the minimum suggested safe and adequate intake and that Cr absorption, at levels found in typical US diets, is inversely related to dietary intake.