Chromium
Use authoritative food-composition data in the food-source module..
Back to TagsDiabetes, prediabetes, hypoglycemia, pregnancy, kidney disease, and glucose-lowering medications require clinician guidance. Supplements can alter medication effects and lab markers.
Source mix: Official Reference, Regulatory Claim, Academic Review, Systematic Review, Traditional / Safety Reference, Government Health Agency, Food Database. Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals 21 CFR 101.81: Soluble Fiber From Certain Foods and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Scientific Opinion on Oat Beta-Glucan and Lowering Blood Cholesterol Glucose-Lowering Effect of Berberine on Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Effects of Berberine Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults 5 Things To Know About Type 2 Diabetes and Dietary Supplements Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health Herbs at a Glance FoodData Central Dietary Guidelines for Americans
Tag
Blood Sugar
Blood sugar references connect nutrients, fiber, food-pattern targets, and bioactives studied for glucose, insulin, or cardiometabolic marker contexts.
glucoseblood sugarinsulindiabetesa1cglycemicmetabolic health
When To Seek Medical Care
- Seek urgent care for confusion, fainting, severe weakness, persistent vomiting, trouble breathing, chest pain, or very high or very low blood sugar symptoms.
- Use clinician guidance before adding berberine, cinnamon, chromium, or other glucose-active supplements if taking diabetes medication.
- Do not replace diabetes medication with supplements or products marketed as a cure.
Linked Items
7
May Support
4
Deficiency Signs
0
Cautions
3
Quick Compare
| Item | Type | Relationship | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chromium | nutrient | May Support | Official NIH ODS chromium framing. Official Reference |
| Magnesium | nutrient | May Support | Official NIH ODS nutrient-role framing. Official Reference |
| Psyllium | bioactive | May Support | FDA soluble-fiber claim context; glucose effects should be handled as separate claim-level evidence. Regulatory Claim |
| Beta-Glucans | bioactive | May Support | FDA and EFSA claim-level source context. Regulatory Claim |
| Berberine | bioactive | Caution / Limited Evidence | Meta-analysis evidence with NCCIH diabetes and FDA supplement-interaction caution. Systematic Review |
| Cinnamon | bioactive | Caution / Limited Evidence | NCCIH describes cinnamon as studied but not conclusive for type 2 diabetes; species, dose, and medication context matter. Traditional / Safety Reference |
| Added Sugars | bioactive | Caution / Limited Evidence | Dietary Guidelines food-pattern guidance. Government Health Agency |
Foods First
Magnesium
Nuts and seeds, Legumes, Whole grains, Leafy green vegetables.
Psyllium
Psyllium husk from Plantago ovata seeds.
Beta-Glucans
Oats, barley, mushrooms, yeast.
Berberine
Barberry, goldenseal, Oregon grape, goldthread.
Cinnamon
Ceylon cinnamon bark, cassia cinnamon bark.
Added Sugars
Not naturally present as added sugar; common sources include sweetened drinks, desserts, candy, sweetened cereals, and sauces.
Medication & Safety Cautions
Magnesium
Magnesium participates in energy metabolism and normal nerve and muscle function; blood sugar claims require outcome-specific evidence. | The DRI UL applies to supplemental/pharmacological magnesium, not magnesium naturally present in food and water.
Psyllium
Psyllium is a soluble gel-forming fiber that can support stool consistency and is used in cholesterol-related claim contexts. | medication spacing | swallowing difficulty | fluid intake
Berberine
Berberine has meta-analysis evidence for glucose and lipid markers, but it carries important medication, pregnancy, breastfeeding, antibiotic, transplant, and infant cautions. | pregnancy/breastfeeding | diabetes medications | blood pressure medications
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is studied for glucose and lipid marker contexts, but species, coumarin content, liver disease, anticoagulants, and diabetes medications matter. | liver disease | blood thinners | diabetes medications
Added Sugars
Added sugars can crowd out nutrient-rich foods and are limited in dietary guidance. | Naturally occurring sugars in intact fruit and plain dairy are tracked differently from added sugars.
Key Studies & Fixed References
These are the dated references used for this tag. Live research searches can change; these links explain the fixed wording shown on this page.
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements | Acquired 2026-07-24 | Official Reference
Chromium and insulin action, Blood glucose marker context, Chromium supplement evidence limitations.
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Official Reference
Magnesium supplement forms, Magnesium bioavailability, Magnesium medication interactions.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration via eCFR | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Regulatory Claim
Psyllium soluble fiber, Oat and barley beta-glucan, Authorized cholesterol-related health claim context.
European Food Safety Authority | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Academic Review
Oat beta-glucan, LDL cholesterol evidence context.
Frontiers in Pharmacology / PubMed | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Systematic Review
Berberine glucose markers, Berberine diabetes-study context.
Frontiers in Nutrition / PubMed | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Academic Review
Berberine lipid markers, Berberine cardiometabolic markers.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health | Acquired 2026-08-03 | Traditional / Safety Reference
Type 2 diabetes supplement caution, Berberine chromium cinnamon evidence limits, Diabetes medication safety.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Government Health Agency
Supplement-medication interaction warning language.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Traditional / Safety Reference
Botanical safety framing, Herb evidence summaries.
U.S. Department of Agriculture | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Food Database
Food composition and natural source verification.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Acquired 2026-07-23 | Government Health Agency
Food-pattern guidance, Added sugars, Saturated fat.
May Support
Chromium
nutrientOfficial Reference
Chromium is involved in insulin action, but supplement evidence for blood glucose outcomes is mixed and context-specific.
Evidence note: Official NIH ODS chromium framing.
Sources: Chromium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (2026-07-24)Official Reference
Magnesium
nutrientOfficial Reference
Magnesium participates in energy metabolism and normal nerve and muscle function; blood sugar claims require outcome-specific evidence.
Evidence note: Official NIH ODS nutrient-role framing.
Sources: Magnesium Fact Sheet for Health Professionals (2026-07-23)Official Reference
Psyllium
bioactiveRegulatory Claim
Psyllium is a soluble gel-forming fiber that can support stool consistency and is used in cholesterol-related claim contexts.
Evidence note: FDA soluble-fiber claim context; glucose effects should be handled as separate claim-level evidence.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.81: Soluble Fiber From Certain Foods and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease (2026-07-23)Regulatory Claim
Beta-Glucans
bioactiveRegulatory Claim
Beta-glucans from oats and barley support cholesterol-related claim contexts and can fit blood-sugar-aware food patterns.
Evidence note: FDA and EFSA claim-level source context.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.81: Soluble Fiber From Certain Foods and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease (2026-07-23)Regulatory Claim, Scientific Opinion on Oat Beta-Glucan and Lowering Blood Cholesterol (2026-07-23)Academic Review
Caution / Limited Evidence
Berberine
bioactiveSystematic Review
Berberine has meta-analysis evidence for glucose and lipid markers, but it carries important medication, pregnancy, breastfeeding, antibiotic, transplant, and infant cautions.
Evidence note: Meta-analysis evidence with NCCIH diabetes and FDA supplement-interaction caution.
Sources: Glucose-Lowering Effect of Berberine on Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (2026-07-23)Systematic Review, Effects of Berberine Supplementation on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adults (2026-07-23)Academic Review, 5 Things To Know About Type 2 Diabetes and Dietary Supplements (2026-08-03)Traditional / Safety Reference, Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health (2026-07-23)Government Health Agency
Cinnamon
bioactiveTraditional / Safety Reference
Cinnamon is studied for glucose and lipid marker contexts, but species, coumarin content, liver disease, anticoagulants, and diabetes medications matter.
Evidence note: NCCIH describes cinnamon as studied but not conclusive for type 2 diabetes; species, dose, and medication context matter.
Sources: 5 Things To Know About Type 2 Diabetes and Dietary Supplements (2026-08-03)Traditional / Safety Reference, Herbs at a Glance (2026-07-23)Traditional / Safety Reference, FoodData Central (2026-07-23)Food Database, Mixing Medications and Dietary Supplements Can Endanger Your Health (2026-07-23)Government Health Agency
Added Sugars
bioactiveGovernment Health Agency
Added sugars can crowd out nutrient-rich foods and are limited in dietary guidance.
Evidence note: Dietary Guidelines food-pattern guidance.
Sources: Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2026-07-23)Government Health Agency