✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
Updated: 2026-05-29 · v2.0 · Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhDCiteEditorial
3
Limited
Vanadium
Vanadyl sulfate / BMOV
Limited EvidenceLimitedTrace Minerals
RDA
No RDA; typical 10–50 mcg
Target
N/A
Upper limit
1.8 mg
Products
673
Dosage by population group — reference
🔗 Best with: Chromium, Berberine✅ USP Verified, NSF Contents Certified, Clean Label Project Certified
⚠ Supplements often exceed UL (1.8 mg/day) [1]
⚠ Abandoned as diabetes treatment due to toxicity [2]
⚠ Use metformin/GLP-1/SGLT2i instead [2]
🥗 Food first — build your daily No RDA; typical 10–50 mcg
Check the foods you regularly eat — the bar fills toward your daily target.
Mushrooms (100 g)0.01 mg
Shellfish (85 g)0.01 mg
Black pepper (1 g)0 mg
0 mg
Check your regular foods above
🔬 Lab interpreter
Recommended test
Not recommended — don't use
Reference range / target
N/A
When to test
N/A [2].
Full lab monitoring ↓
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Vanadium mimics insulin (PTP1B inhibition) but narrow therapeutic window + GI toxicity make it IMPRACTICAL. Supplements often exceed the 1.8 mg UL. NOT recommended for diabetes — approved medications are far superior [1] [2].
1 Am I deficient?
Not applicable0%

What happens as status declines

Not applicable
Not an essential nutrient [1].

Risk factors

• Not applicable — not an essential nutrient [1]
🧬 How Vanadium works ▼
Vanadium compounds such as vanadyl sulfate mimic insulin in vitro by inhibiting protein-tyrosine phosphatases and enhancing insulin-receptor signaling. Glycemic effects in humans are inconsistent, the doses studied raise toxicity concerns, and an essential role for vanadium in humans is unproven.
2 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
AVOID [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
AVOID [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose

How to take

🍽 Timing: NOT recommended [2].
💊 With food: N/A [2].
🚫 Avoid: Use approved diabetes medications instead [2].
3 Which form?
FormBioavailabilityVeganCost
['Vanadyl sulfate', 'common', '10–100 mg. Often exceeds UL [1].']StandardCheck label
4 Common questions
Is vanadium a diabetes treatment? ▼
NO — modest glucose lowering was demonstrated but the narrow therapeutic window and GI toxicity make it impractical. Metformin, GLP-1 agonists, and SGLT2 inhibitors are far superior [2].
5 Clinical evidence

Strong

PTP1B inhibition: confirmed [1]. Narrow therapeutic index [1]. HIGH

Moderate

Modest glucose lowering in 1990s trials [2]. MODERATE

Insufficient

Clinical diabetes management — abandoned due to toxicity [2]. LOW
6 Safety, toxicity & adverse events

Relative

⚠ Diabetes on medication — additive hypoglycemia at studied (high) doses
⚠ Renal impairment — vanadium accumulation/toxicity
⚠ GI upset and possible toxicity at supplement doses — narrow margin
⚠ Bipolar disorder — theoretical caution

🚩 Red flags

● Supplement exceeding 1.8 mg/day UL [1]
● Patient using vanadium for diabetes — redirect to proven medications [2]
7 Interactions

Drug interactions

Diabetes medications Moderate
Mechanism: Additive insulin mimetic. [1]
Effect: Hypoglycemia. [1]
Action: Avoid [1].
8 Laboratory monitoring
Not recommended — don't use Primary
Target: N/A · N/A [2].
9 Regulatory
IOM: UL: 1.8 mg/day. Many supplements exceed this [1].
10 US supplement products
673
on-market products containing Vanadium (NIH DSLD)

Brands carrying Vanadium (195)

Click a brand to see its Vanadium products.
Or browse all 673 products in one list →
11 Frequently paired with
Chromium 616 sharedMagnesium 592 sharedZinc 585 sharedCalcium 580 sharedManganese 569 sharedSelenium 554 sharedVitamin C 541 sharedMolybdenum 529 shared
Vanadium vs ChromiumVanadium vs Berberine
12 References (2)
[1]National Institutes of Health, ODS. Vanadium. Updated 2024. ods.od.nih.gov REVIEW Accessed: 2026-05-29
[2]Cusi K, et al. Vanadyl sulfate improves hepatic and muscle insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86(3):1410-1417. doi:10.1210/jcem.86.3.7337 REVIEW Accessed: 2026-05-29
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14 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Vanadium — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Jun 01]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/vanadium/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Vanadium — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/vanadium/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: December 2026
References: 2 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Vanadium — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/vanadium/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG