$39.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Brain & nervous system
Chromium test
Essential trace mineral involved in insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Chromium is a mineral found in tiny amounts in food, and it may help insulin manage your blood sugar. A blood test is mostly used to check for too much exposure.
Why it matters for women
Trouble using insulin is common with PCOS, a hormone condition that affects the ovaries, and with diabetes that starts in pregnancy, so chromium sometimes comes up. Still, a blood level isn’t a reliable way to tell if you get enough from food. The test is most useful if you work with metals or have a metal hip implant.
You might check it if…
- your hip replacement is the metal-on-metal type
- your work involves welding, metal plating or leather tanning
- a doctor suggested checking for metal exposure
What your result may mean
High Chromium: what it may mean
High blood chromium may mean exposure through work, such as metal plating, leather tanning or welding, or wear from certain orthopedic implants, including metal hip replacements. Supplements can add a little too. Heavy workplace exposure can irritate the skin, nose and lungs, and very high levels can harm the kidneys and liver, while some people may have no symptoms. Hip pain or swelling can be part of the picture with an implant, and a clinician may check cobalt as well. Needles and standard collection tubes can contaminate a sample, so an unexpected high may be repeated.
Low Chromium: what it may mean
Low chromium may be linked to trouble handling blood sugar (impaired glucose tolerance), though studies can disagree and the link isn't settled. A blood level can't reliably tell you if you get enough from food, because the amount in blood can be so tiny. Trouble using insulin can happen with PCOS and with diabetes in pregnancy, which is why chromium can come up, but a low value alone may not explain it. True chromium shortage may be rare, and a clinician may look instead at A1c, fasting glucose or insulin.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.