BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuChromium - blood testSerum chromiumChromium is a mineral that affects insulin, carbohydrate, fat, and protein levels in the body. This article discusses the test to check the amount of chromium in your blood. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You should stop taking mineral supplements and multivitamins for at least several days before the test. Ask your health care provider if there are other medicines you should stop taking before testing. Also, let your provider know if you have recently had contrast agents containing gadolinium or iodine as part of an imaging study. These substances can interfere with testing. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed This test may be done to diagnose chromium poisoning or deficiency. Normal Results Serum chromium level normally is less than or equal to 1.4 micrograms/liter (µg/L) or 26.92 nanomoles/L (nmol/L).Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result. What Abnormal Results Mean Increased chromium level may result if you are overexposed to the substance. This may happen if you work in the following industries:Leather tanning Electroplating Steel manufacturing Decreased chromium level only occurs in people who receive all of their nutrition by vein (total parenteral nutrition or TPN) and do not get enough chromium. Considerations Test results may be altered if the sample is collected in a metal tube.Open ReferencesReferencesMason JB, Booth SL. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 205.National Institutes of Health: Office of dietary supplements website. Chromium: fact sheet for consumers. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/chromium-Consumer/. Updated March 22, 2021. Accessed July 4, 2023.Pham AK, McClave SA. Nutritional management. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.AllVideoImagesTogBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustrationBlood test - illustration Blood is drawn from a vein (venipuncture), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. Preparation may vary depending on the specific test.Blood testillustration Tests for Chromium - blood test Chromium - blood testRelated Information Review Date: 6/20/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Chromium - blood testSerum chromiumChromium is a mineral that affects insulin, carbohydrate, fat, and protein levels in the body. This article discusses the test to check the amount of chromium in your blood. How the Test is Performed A blood sample is needed. Most of the time, blood is drawn from a vein located on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.Drawn from a veinVenipuncture is the collection of blood from a vein. It is most often done for laboratory testing.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article How to Prepare for the Test You should stop taking mineral supplements and multivitamins for at least several days before the test. Ask your health care provider if there are other medicines you should stop taking before testing. Also, let your provider know if you have recently had contrast agents containing gadolinium or iodine as part of an imaging study. These substances can interfere with testing. How the Test will Feel You may feel slight pain or a sting when the needle is inserted. You may also feel some throbbing at the site after the blood is drawn. Why the Test is Performed This test may be done to diagnose chromium poisoning or deficiency. Normal Results Serum chromium level normally is less than or equal to 1.4 micrograms/liter (µg/L) or 26.92 nanomoles/L (nmol/L).Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test result. What Abnormal Results Mean Increased chromium level may result if you are overexposed to the substance. This may happen if you work in the following industries:Leather tanning Electroplating Steel manufacturing Decreased chromium level only occurs in people who receive all of their nutrition by vein (total parenteral nutrition or TPN) and do not get enough chromium. Considerations Test results may be altered if the sample is collected in a metal tube.Open ReferencesReferencesMason JB, Booth SL. Vitamins, trace minerals, and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 205.National Institutes of Health: Office of dietary supplements website. Chromium: fact sheet for consumers. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/chromium-Consumer/. Updated March 22, 2021. Accessed July 4, 2023.Pham AK, McClave SA. Nutritional management. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 6.