Supplement Label Index

Chromium Polynicotinate vs. Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate

Among 4,926 on-market chromium products with an identifiable primary form, 24.6% use Chromium Polynicotinate (1,211 products) and 13.4% use Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate (661).

Chromium PolynicotinateChromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate
Quality tierTier 2Unrated
Chromium by weight——
Share of market24.6%13.4%
On-market products1,211661
Median declared dose120 elemental mcg
middle half: 50–200
100 elemental mcg
middle half: 40–200
Most common brandsDouglas Laboratories, Pure Encapsulations, Wonder LaboratoriesXYMOGEN, Bluebonnet, Ultima

Doses are declared per serving in elemental mcg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).

Why Chromium Polynicotinate is tier 2

Nicotinate-based forms absorbed better than chloride but worse than picolinate in the same comparative study.

Source: DiSilvestro RA, Dy E. 2007, PMID 17499152 (form-class evidence, not this specific branded complex)

Why Chromium Nicotinate Glycinate Chelate is unrated

No dedicated bioavailability study on this specific named complex was located.

Source: none found -- insufficient evidence

Tiers summarize published comparative bioavailability or outcome evidence for each form (see methodology). This page describes the market; it is not a recommendation to take either form. Talk to a clinician about what's right for you.

Other chromium comparisons