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Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) Table

RDA Table for Younger ChildrenRDA Table for Older ChildrenRDA Table for Adults RDA Table for Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers Recommended Daily Allowances RDA Chart

Links to Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) charts below :
RDA Chart for Infants and Children
RDA Chart for Older Children (9 to 18 Years)
RDA Chart for Adult Men and Women (19 Years and Up)
RDA Chart for Pregnant Women and Lactating Mothers



About RDA About Recommended Dietary Allowance RDA Chart
RDA stands for Recommended Dietary Allowance, also commonly known as Recommended Daily Allowances.  It is the recommended daily vitamins and mineral intake considered adequate for healthy people.

The RDA was last revised in 1989, and is rather outdated.  Parts of it are replaced by the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI), the most recent dietary guidelines by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 1997-2001, in a collaboration between the US and Canada.

The Recommended Daily Allowances below incorporate the DRI figures. 


Recommended Daily Allowances / Dietary Reference Intake Dietary Reference Intake
In the Recommended Dietary Allowance charts below, amounts marked with a * indicate AI (Adequate Intake) figures taken from the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).

Legend
1 µg = 1 mcg = 1 microgram = 1/1,000,000 of a gram
1 mg = 1 milligram = 1/1,000 of a gram
1 g = 1 gram

#1 As cholecalciferol. 1 µg cholecalciferol = 40 IU vitamin D.



Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) Chart for Infants & Children

NUTRIENT 0-6 mths 7-12mths 1-3 yrs 4-8 yrs
RDA Vitamins (Per Day)
vitamin A - retinol 400* µg 500* µg 300 µg 400 µg
vitamin C - ascorbic acid 40* mg 50* mg 15 mg 25 mg
vitamin D  #1 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg
vitamin E 4* mg 5* mg 6 mg 7 mg
vitamin K 2.0* µg 2.5* µg 30* µg 55* µg
vitamin B1 - thiamin 0.2* mg 0.3* mg 0.5 mg 0.6 mg
vitamin B2 - riboflavin 0.3* mg 0.4* mg 0.5 mg 0.6 mg
vitamin B3 - niacin 2* mg 4* mg 6 mg 8 mg
vitamin B5 - pantothenic acid 1.7* mg 1.8* mg 2* mg 3* mg
vitamin B6 - pyridoxine 0.1* mg 0.3* mg 0.5 mg 0.6 mg
vitamin B12 - cyanocobalamin 0.4* µg 0.5* µg 0.9 µg 1.2 µg
biotin 5* µg 6* µg 8* µg 12* µg
choline 125* mg 150* mg 200* mg 250* mg
folate - folic acid 65* µg 80* µg 150 µg 200 µg
Recommended Daily Allowances for Minerals
calcium 210* mg 270* mg 500* mg 800* mg
chromium 0.2* µg 5.5* µg 11* µg 15* µg
copper

200* µg

220* µg

340 µg

440 µg
fluoride 0.01* mg 0.5* mg 0.7* mg 1* mg
iodine 110* µg 130* µg 90 µg 90 µg
iron 0.27* mg 11 mg 7 mg 10 mg
magnesium 30* mg 75* mg 80 mg 130 mg
manganese 0.003* mg 0.6* mg 1.2* mg 1.5* mg
molybdenum 2* µg 3* µg 17 µg 22 µg
phosphorus 100* mg 275* mg 460 mg 500 mg
selenium 15* µg 20* µg 20 µg 30 µg
zinc 2* mg 3 mg 3 mg 5 mg
potassium 0.4* g 0.7* g 3.0* g 3.8* g
sodium 0.12* g 0.37* g 1.0* g 1.2* g
chloride 0.18* g 0.57* g 1.5* g 1.9* g

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Recommended Daily Allowances for Older Children (9 to 18 Years)

NUTRIENT Male
9-13 Yrs		 Male
14-18 Yrs		 Female
9-13 Yrs		 Female
14-18 Yrs
RDA Vitamins (Per Day)
vitamin A - retinol 600 µg 900 µg 600 µg 700 µg
vitamin C - ascorbic acid 45 mg 75 mg 45 mg 65 mg
vitamin D  #1 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg
vitamin E 11 mg 15 mg 11 mg 15 mg
vitamin K 60* µg 75* µg 60* µg 75* µg
vitamin B1 - thiamin 0.9 mg 1.2 mg 0.9 mg 1.0 mg
vitamin B2 - riboflavin 0.9 mg 1.3 mg 0.9 mg 1.0 mg
vitamin B3 - niacin 12 mg 16 mg 12 mg 14 mg
vitamin B5 - pantothenic acid 4* mg 5* mg 4* mg 5* mg
vitamin B6 - pyridoxine 1.0 mg 1.3 mg 1.0 mg 1.2 mg
vitamin B12 - cyanocobalamin 1.8 µg 2.4 µg 1.8 µg 2.4 µg
biotin 20* µg 25* µg 20* µg 25* µg
choline 375* mg 550* mg 375* mg 400* mg
folate - folic acid  #3 300 µg 400 µg 300 µg 400 µg
Recommended Daily Allowances for Minerals
calcium 1300* mg 1300* mg 1300* mg 1300* mg
chromium 25* µg 35* µg 21* µg 24* µg
copper

700 µg

890 µg

700 µg

890 µg
fluoride 2* mg 3* mg 2* mg 3* mg
iodine 120 µg 150 µg 120 µg 150 µg
iron 8 mg 11 mg 8 mg 15 mg
magnesium 240 mg 410 mg 240 mg 360 mg
manganese 1.9* mg 2.2* mg 1.6* mg 1.6* mg
molybdenum 34 µg 43 µg 34 µg 43 µg
phosphorus 1250 mg 1250 mg 1250 mg 1250 mg
selenium 40 µg 55 µg 40 µg 55 µg
zinc 8 mg 11 mg 8 mg 9 mg
potassium 4.5* g 4.7* g 4.5* g 4.7* g
sodium 1.5* g 1.5* g 1.5* g 1.5* g
chloride 2.3* g 2.3* g 2.3* g 2.3* g

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Recommended Daily Allowances for Adults (19 Years and Up)

NUTRIENT Male
19-50 Yrs		 Male
>50 Yrs		 Female
19-50 Yrs		 Female
>50 Yrs
RDA Vitamins (Per Day)
vitamin A - retinol 900 µg 900 µg 700 µg 700 µg
vitamin C - ascorbic acid 90 mg 90 mg 75 mg 75 mg
vitamin D  #1 #5 5* µg 10* µg
 5* µg 10* µg
vitamin E 15 mg 15 mg 15 mg 15 mg
vitamin K 120* µg 120* µg 90* µg 90* µg
vitamin B1 - thiamin 1.2 mg 1.2 mg 1.1 mg 1.1 mg
vitamin B2 - riboflavin 1.3 mg 1.3 mg 1.1 mg 1.1 mg
vitamin B3 - niacin 16 mg 16 mg 14 mg 14 mg
vitamin B5 - pantothenic acid 5* mg 5* mg 5* mg 5* mg
vitamin B6 - pyridoxine 1.3 mg 1.7 mg 1.3 mg 1.5 mg
vitamin B12  #2 2.4 µg 2.4 µg 2.4 µg 2.4 µg
biotin 30* µg 30* µg 30* µg 30* µg
choline 550* mg 550* mg 425* mg 425* mg
folate - folic acid  #3 400 µg 400 µg 400 µg 400 µg
Recommended Daily Allowances for Minerals
calcium 1000* mg 1200* mg 1000* mg 1200* mg
chromium 35* µg 30* µg 25* µg 20* µg
copper

900 µg

900 µg

900 µg

900 µg
fluoride 4* mg 4* mg 3* mg 3* mg
iodine 150 µg 150 µg 150 µg 150 µg
iron 8 mg 8 mg 18 mg 8 mg
magnesium  #4 400/420 mg 420 mg 310/320 mg 320 mg
manganese 2.3* mg 2.3* mg 1.8* mg 1.8* mg
molybdenum 45 µg 45 µg 45 µg 45 µg
phosphorus 700 mg 700 mg 700 mg 700 mg
selenium 55 µg 55 µg 55 µg 55 µg
zinc 11 mg 11 mg 8 mg 8 mg
potassium 4.7* g 4.7* g 4.7* g 4.7* g
sodium  #5 1.5* g 1.3* g 1.5* g 1.3* g
chloride  #5 2.3* g 2.0* g 2.3* g 2.0* g

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Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) Recommendations (#) Food and Nutrition Board Recommended RDA Chart
#2 : As 10 to 30 percent of older people may malabsorb food-bound B12, FNB advises those older than 50 years to meet their Recommended Daily Allowances for it by consuming foods fortified with B12 or a supplement containing B12.

#3 : In view of evidence linking folate deficiency with neural tube defects in the fetus, FNB recommends that women capable of becoming pregnant consume 400 µg of folate from supplements or fortified foods, in addition to intake of food folate from a varied diet.

#4 : Men from 31 to 50 need slightly more magnesium (420 mg) than those from 19 to 30 years old (400 mg).  Women from 31 to 50 also need slightly more magnesium (320 mg) than those from 19 to 30 years old (310 mg).

#5 : Adults over 70 years need slightly different levels of vitamin D (15µg), sodium (1.2g), and chloride (1.8g).

For a list of the 33 top ranked supplements that meet RDA requirements, see Best Multi Vitamin Products.



Recommended Daily Allowances for Pregnancy / Lactating Mothers

NUTRIENT Pregnancy
14-18 Yrs		 Pregnancy
19-50 Yrs		 Lactation
14-18 Yrs		 Lactation
19-50 Yrs
Recommended Daily Allowances for Vitamins
vitamin A - retinol 750 µg 770 µg 1200 µg 1300 µg
vitamin C - ascorbic acid 80 mg 85 mg 115 mg 120 mg
vitamin D  #1 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg 5* µg
vitamin E 15 mg 15 mg 19 mg 19 mg
vitamin K 75* µg 90* µg 75* µg 90* µg
vitamin B1 - thiamin 1.4 mg 1.4 mg 1.4 mg 1.4 mg
vitamin B2 - riboflavin 1.4 mg 1.4 mg 1.6 mg 1.6 mg
vitamin B3 - niacin 18 mg 18 mg 17 mg 17 mg
vitamin B5 - pantothenic acid 6* mg 6* mg 7* mg 7* mg
vitamin B6 - pyridoxine 1.9 mg 1.9 mg 2.0 mg 2.0 mg
vitamin B12 2.6 µg 2.6 µg 2.8 µg 2.8 µg
biotin 30* µg 30* µg 35* µg 35* µg
choline 450* mg 450* mg 550* mg 550* mg
folate - folic acid  #3 600 µg 600 µg 500 µg 500 µg
Recommended Daily Allowances for Minerals
calcium 1300* mg 1000* mg 1300* mg 1000* mg
chromium 29* µg 30* µg 44* µg 45* µg
copper

1000 µg

1000 µg

1300 µg

1300 µg
fluoride 3* mg 3* mg 3* mg 3* mg
iodine 220 µg 220 µg 290 µg 290 µg
iron 27 mg 27 mg 10 mg 9 mg
magnesium  #6 400 mg 350/360 mg 360 mg 310/320 mg
manganese 2.0* mg 2.0* mg 2.6* mg 2.6* mg
molybdenum 50 µg 50 µg 50 µg 50 µg
phosphorus 1250 mg 700 mg 1250 mg 700 mg
selenium 60 µg 60 µg 70 µg 70 µg
zinc 12 mg 11 mg 13 mg 12 mg
potassium 4.7* g 4.7* g 5.1* g 5.1* g
sodium 1.5* g 1.5* g 1.5* g 1.5* g
chloride 2.3* g 2.3* g 2.3* g 2.3* g


#6: Pregnant women from 31 to 50 need slightly more magnesium (360 mg) than those between 19 to 30 years old (350 mg).  Women from 31 to 50 who are breastfeeding also require slightly more magnesium (320 mg) than those between 19 to 30 years old (310 mg).


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References References for RDA Chart
1. Institute of Medicine. (1997). Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium, Phosphorous, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Fluoride. Washington DC: National Academy Press.
2. Institute of Medicine. (1998). Dietary Reference Intakes for Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
3. Institute of Medicine. (2000). Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
4. Institute of Medicine. (2001). Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
5. Institute of Medicine. (2004). Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

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