Vitamin Check

Are you getting enough of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need? Use these Recommended Daily Intakes guidelines to make sure.

August 15, 2008

Most Americans who eat a variety of foods get the right amount of essential vitamins and minerals. To check your daily values, use the below reference guide from the Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine.

Dietary Reference Intakes
The DRI of a particular nutrient refers to the following set of reference values.

• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): the average daily nutrient intake level estimated to meet the requirements of half of the healthy individuals in a life stage and gender group―it is used to plan and assess dietary adequacies for population groups.
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): the average daily dietary nutrient intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group―it is derived from the EAR.
• Adequate Intake (AI): the recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake for a group (or groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate―it is used when an RDA cannot be determined.
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): the highest average daily nutrient intake level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects for almost all individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the potential risk of adverse effects may increase.
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range: a range of intakes of a particular energy source that is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intakes of essential nutrients―it is technically not a Dietary Reference Intake.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Individuals: Macronutrients

Carbohydrate

Females 19-70 years-old: 130 grams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 130 grams (RDA)

Fiber

Females 19-50 years-old: 25 grams (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 21 grams (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 38 grams (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 30 grams (AI)

Protein

Females 19-70 years-old: 46 grams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 56 grams (RDA)

Dietary cholesterol

As low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet

Trans fatty acids

As low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet

Saturated fatty acids

As low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet

Added sugars

Limit to no more than 25% of total energy

Dietary Reference Intakes for Individuals: Vitamins

Vitamin A

Females 19-70 years-old: 700 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 900 micrograms (RDA)

Vitamin C

Females 19-70 years-old: 75 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 90 milligrams (RDA)

Vitamin D

Females 19-50 years-old: 5 micrograms (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 10 micrograms (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 5 micrograms (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 10 micrograms (AI)

Vitamin E

Females 19-70 years-old: 15 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 15 milligrams (RDA)

Vitamin K

Females 19-70 years-old: 90 micrograms (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 120 micrograms (AI)

Thiamin

Females 19-70 years-old: 1.1 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 1.2 milligrams (RDA)

Riboflavin

Females 19-70 years-old: 1.1 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 1.3 milligrams (RDA)

Niacin

Females 19-70 years-old: 14 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 16 milligrams (RDA)

Vitamin B6

Females 19-50 years-old: 1.3 milligrams (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 1.5 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 1.3 milligrams (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 1.7 milligrams (AI)

Folate

Females 19-70 years-old: 400 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 400 micrograms (RDA)

Vitamin B12

Females 19-70 years-old: 2.4 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 2.4 micrograms (RDA)

Pantothenic Acid

Females 19-70 years-old: 5 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 5 milligrams (AI)

Biotin

Females 19-70 years-old: 30 micrograms (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 30 micrograms (AI)

Choline

Females 19-70 years-old: 425 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 550 milligrams (AI)

Dietary Reference Intakes for Individuals: Elements

Calcium

Females 19-50 years-old: 1,000 milligrams (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 1,200 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 1,000 milligrams (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 1,200 milligrams (AI)

Chromium

Females 19-50 years-old: 25 micrograms (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 20 micrograms (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 35 micrograms (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 30 micrograms (AI)

Copper

Females 19-70 years-old: 900 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 900 micrograms (RDA)

Fluoride

Females 19-70 years-old: 3 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 4 milligrams (AI)

Iodine

Females 19-70 years-old: 150 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 150 micrograms (RDA)

Iron

Females 19-50 years-old: 18 milligrams (RDA)
Females 51-70 years-old: 8 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 8 milligrams (RDA)

Magnesium

Females 19-30 years-old: 310 milligrams (RDA)
Females 31-70 years-old: 320 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 420 milligrams (RDA)

Manganese

Females 19-70 years-old: 1.8 milligrams (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 2.3 milligrams (AI)

Molybdenum

Females 19-70 years-old: 45 micrograms (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 45 micrograms (AI)

Phosphorus

Females 19-70 years-old: 700 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 700 milligrams (RDA)

Selenium

Females 19-70 years-old: 55 micrograms (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 55 micrograms (RDA)

Zinc

Females 19-70 years-old: 8 milligrams (RDA)
Males 19-70 years-old: 11 milligrams (RDA)

Potassium

Females 19-70 years-old: 4.7 grams (AI)
Males 19-70 years-old: 4.7 grams (AI)

Sodium

Females 19-50 years-old: 1.5 grams (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 1.3 grams (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 1.5 grams (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 1.3 grams (AI)

Chloride

Females 19-50 years-old: 2.3 grams (AI)
Females 51-70 years-old: 2.0 grams (AI)
Males 19-50 years-old: 2.3 grams (AI)
Males 51-70 years-old: 2.0 grams (AI)

Sources: Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine, National Academies. Reports may be accessed via www.nap.edu.

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