Chromium(III) ion (Cr3+) (Cr3+)

Chromium ion, specifically in its trivalent state (Cr3+), is a trace element essential for the proper metabolism of glucose and lipids in humans (NIH ODS, 2022). It functions primarily as a cofactor that enhances the physiological activity of insulin by facilitating its binding to receptors and stimulating the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase pathway (Vincent, 2000). This process is believed to involve the oligopeptide chromodulin, which binds four chromium ions and subsequently interacts with the insulin receptor to amplify signaling (PubChem, 2024). Clinically, chromium supplements such as chromium picolinate are used to manage insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, although results across clinical trials remain mixed (StatPearls, 2023). While trivalent chromium is considered safe at nutritional doses, its hexavalent counterpart (Cr6+) is a known carcinogen and environmental toxin (Lewicki et al., 2014). Therapeutic challenges include low intestinal absorption rates and the need to distinguish between beneficial trivalent forms and toxic hexavalent forms in safety assessments.

Other names

Trivalent chromiumCr(III)Chromic ionCr3+

Potentiation of insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity through the formation of a chromium-chromodulin complex that binds to the insulin receptor (Vincent, 2000).