Recommended Dosage and Administration for Chromium and Selenium Supplements
For optimal health outcomes, chromium supplements should be taken at a dose of 35 μg/day, while selenium supplements should be administered at 100 μg/day for general supplementation, with both preferably taken orally.
Chromium Supplementation
Recommended Dosage
- Enteral (oral) chromium supplementation should provide at least 35 μg/day with regular food intake 1
- For parenteral nutrition, chromium should be provided at a dose of at least 10 μg/day 1
- Maximum daily intake should not exceed 5 mg/day to prevent toxicity 1
Administration Guidelines
- Oral chromium is available in several forms, with chromium picolinate having the best absorption profile 1
- Supplementation is often unnecessary as chromium contaminates many solutions to a degree that satisfies requirements 1
- In cases of suspected deficiency, additional supplementation can be provided at 200-250 μg/day for 2 weeks 1
Special Considerations
- Chromium supplementation should not be used to improve glycemia or dyslipidemia control in patients with type 2 diabetes, obesity, or non-diabetic patients 1
- Regular monitoring of chromium status is not necessary unless there is clinical suspicion of deficiency or toxicity 1
- Chromium deficiency during nutritional support is rare unless it is specifically excluded from formulations 1
Selenium Supplementation
Recommended Dosage
- The standard recommended dose for selenium supplementation is 100 μg/day for mild deficiency 2
- For more significant deficiency, higher doses up to 400 μg/day may be required for 7-10 days for rapid correction 1
- The maximum safe dose should not exceed 100 μg/day for routine supplementation in adults 1
Administration Guidelines
- Selenium supplements are most commonly available as selenomethionine, which has nearly twice the bioavailability of selenium as selenite 3
- Considering the good enteral absorption, oral administration is preferred when the gastrointestinal tract is functional 1
- A daily intake of 200 μg per day is generally considered safe and adequate for an adult of average weight on a typical American diet 4
Special Considerations
- Upper limits for plasma selenium before toxicity symptoms occur range from 6-12 μmol/L 1
- Selenium toxicity (selenosis) can manifest as headache, hair and nail loss, skin rash, and neurological symptoms 2, 5
- High-dose selenium supplementation (1000-4000 μg/day) has not shown consistent benefits and is not recommended 1
- Monitoring plasma selenium levels along with glutathione peroxidase-3 (GPX-3) is ideal to reflect functional status 1
Important Precautions
- Uncontrolled self-medication with selenium is not recommended due to its toxic potential 6
- Selenium toxicity has occurred from supplement formulation errors, resulting in significant adverse effects 5
- Patients with renal failure may require special consideration for both chromium and selenium dosing due to potential accumulation 1
- For both supplements, monitoring should be considered for patients on long-term supplementation or those with specific risk factors 7