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Recommended Daily Intakes and Upper Limits for Nutrients
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What is the right amount of a vitamin or mineral to get each day? To help you, below are recommended intake levels for selected nutrients based on RDAs (Recommended Daily Allowances) from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. In cases where no RDA is established, the IOM has developed AIs (Adequate Intake) levels, which are shown.
Is it possible to get too much of nutrient? Yes. For this reason, ULs (Upper Tolerable Intake Levels) are also set by the IOM and are provided below. There is an increased risk of an adverse event when exceeding the UL – although sometimes these risks are acceptable when the nutrient is used in medical treatment.
Why do DV (Daily Value) figures on food and supplement labels not coincide with the RDAs and AIs? The DVs do not necessarily reflect the latest intake recommendations from the IOM, nor do they carefully distinguish needs by age and gender. Although FDA has noted its intention to update the DVs, it has not done so since 1968.
ConsumerLab.com has full reports on each of these nutrients which include independent tests and reviews of brands of vitamin and supplement products. You can access these ConsumerLab.com (CL) reports using the links below. Also, see our reports on Multivitamins, Magnesium, Potassium, B Vitamins, Vitamin E, Vitamin K and reports on other nutrients and popular supplements.
Recommended Daily Intakes and Upper Limits for Selected Nutrients
Age
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Vitamin A
See Report
|
Folic Acid
(Vitamin B-9)
See Report
|
Vitamin C
See Report
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Vitamin D
See Report
|
Calcium
See Report
|
Iron
See Report
|
|
RDA1
|
Upper Limit2
|
RDA3
|
Upper Limit4
|
RDA
|
Upper Limit
|
Ade-
quate
Intake5
|
Upper Limit
|
Ade-
quate
Intake6
|
Upper Limit
|
RDA
|
Upper Limit
|
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1 - 3
|
1,000 IU
|
2,000 IU
|
150 mcg
|
300 mcg
|
15 mg
|
400 mg
|
200 IU
|
2,000 IU
|
500 mg
|
2,500 mg
|
7 mg
|
40 mg
|
|
4 - 8
|
1,300 IU
|
3,000 IU
|
200 mcg
|
400 mcg
|
25 mg
|
650 mg
|
200 IU
|
2,000 IU
|
800 mg
|
2,500 mg
|
10 mg
|
40 mg
|
|
9 - 13
|
2,000 IU
|
5,666 IU
|
300 mcg
|
600 mcg
|
45 mg
|
1,200 mg
|
200 IU
|
2,000 IU
|
1,300 mg
|
2,500 mg
|
8 mg
|
40 mg
|
|
14 - 18
|
1,000 IU
|
9,333 IU
|
400 mcg
|
800 mcg
|
75 mg (m)/
65 mg (f)/
80 mg (preg)/115 mg (lact)
|
1,800 mg
|
200 IU
|
2,000 IU
|
1,300 mg
|
2,500 mg
|
11 mg (m)/
15 mg (f)/
27 mg (preg)/
10 mg (lact)
|
45 mg
|
|
Adult
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3,000 IU (m)/
2,300 IU (f)
|
10,000 IU
|
400 mcg/
600 mcg (preg)/
500 mcg (lact)
|
1,000 mcg
|
90 (m)/
75 mg (f)/
85 mg (preg)/
120 (lact)
|
2,000 mg
|
400 IU (51- 70 years)/
600 IU (71+ years)
|
2,000 IU
|
1,000 mg
(to 50 years)/
1,200 mg (51+ years)
|
2,500 mg
|
8 mg (m)/
27 mg (preg)/
9 mg (lact)/
18 mg (f to 50 years)/
8 mg (f 51+ years)
|
45 mg
|
Source: Dietary Reference Intakes (1997 – 2001) from Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. (Figures for infants also available.)
Abbreviations: f - female; lact – lactating (breast feeding) female; m – male; preg – pregnant female;
mg – milligram (1,000 milligrams = 1 gram); mcg – microgram (1,000 micrograms = 1 milligram)
Notes:
1 Figures for vitamin A may also be expressed in mcg rather than IU (International Units). The mcg equivalent of one IU of vitamin A depends on the form, such as retinol, retinyl acetate, or retinyl palmitate. Most labels show value in IU (International Units).
2 UL for vitamin A applies only to retinol forms, not beta-carotene.
3 Folic acid from supplements and fortified foods is absorbed twice as well as from regular food. If using supplements or fortified foods as your source, then only half the listed amount is required.
4 UL for folic applies only to supplements and fortified foods, not regular foods.
5 RDA not established for vitamin D. Figures based on AI and only apply if you are not getting adequate exposure to sunlight. Figures may also be expressed in mcg (1 mcg =40 IU) but most labels show value in IU (International Units).
6 RDA not established for calcium. Figures based on AI.
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