Evidence in horses
In a 2020 trial, 48 healthy Quarter Horse geldings were fed 0, 2, 4 or 8 mg chromium a day from chromium propionate. The authors concluded that 2 or 4 mg a day increased insulin sensitivity after an oral carbohydrate meal [1].
The horses in that trial were healthy, so it doesn't show an effect in horses with insulin dysregulation [1].
For equine metabolic syndrome
The ECEIM consensus statement lists chromium among supplements with some evidence of improved insulin regulation, but notes that other studies have not confirmed the effect and that the efficacy of such supplements remains questionable or unproven [2].
Sources
- 1. Spears JW, Lloyd KE, Siciliano P, Pratt-Phillips S, Goertzen EW, McLeod SJ, Moore J, Krafka K, Hyda J, Rounds W. Chromium propionate increases insulin sensitivity in horses following oral and intravenous carbohydrate administration. Journal of Animal Science 2020;98(4):skaa095. doi:10.1093/jas/skaa095 https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/98/4/skaa095/5814064 (accessed 2026-11-07)
- 2. Durham AE, Frank N, McGowan CM, Menzies-Gow NJ, Roelfsema E, Vervuert I, Feige K, Fey K. ECEIM consensus statement on equine metabolic syndrome. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2019;33(2):335–349. doi:10.1111/jvim.15423 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6430910/ (accessed 2026-11-07)
Last edited 7 Nov 2026, 1:48 am