Recommended Dietary Allowances

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the levels of intake of essential nutrients that, on the basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons.

The first edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) was published in 1943 during World War II with the objective of “providing standards to serve as a goal for good nutrition.” It defined, in “accordance with newer information, the recommended daily allowances for the various dietary essentials for people of different ages” (NRC, 1943). The origin of the RDAs a has been described in detail by the chairman of the First Committee on Recommended Dietary Allowances (Roberts, 1958). The initial publication has been revised at regular intervals; this is the tenth edition.

From their original application as a guide for advising “on nutrition problems in connection with national defense,” RDAs have come to serve other purposes: for planning and procuring food supplies for population subgroups; for interpreting food consumption records of individuals and populations; for establishing standards for food assistance programs; for evaluating the adequacy of food supplies in meeting national nutritional needs; for designing nutrition education programs; for developing new products in industry; and for establishing guidelines for nutrition labeling of foods.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Women

Vitamins 9–13 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 51–70 y > 70 y
Vitamin A (μg/d) 600 700 700 700 700 700
Vitamin C (mg/d) 45 65 75 75 75 75
Vitamin D (μg/d) 15 15 15 15 15 20
Vitamin E (mg/d) 11 15 15 15 15 15
Vitamin K (μg/d) 60 75 90 90 90 90
Thiamin - Vitamin B1 (mg/d) 0.9 1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
Riboflavin - Vitamin B2 (mg/d) 0.9 1 1.1 1.1 1.1 1.1
Niacin - Vitamin B3 (mg/d) 12 14 14 14 14 14
Vitamin B6 (mg/d) 1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.5
Folate - Vitamin B9 (μg/d) 300 400 400 400 400 400
Vitamin B12 (μg/d) 1.8 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B5 (mg/d) 4 5 5 5 5 5
Biotin - Vitamin B7 (μg/d) 20 25 30 30 30 30
Choline (mg/d) 375 400 425 425 425 425
Minerals 9–13 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 51–70 y > 70 y
Calcium (mg/d) 1,300 1,300 1,000 1,000 1,200 1,200
Chromium (μg/d) 21 24 25 25 20 20
Copper (μg/d) 700 890 900 900 900 900
Fluoride (mg/d) 2 3 3 3 3 3
Iodine (μg/d) 120 150 150 150 150 150
Iron (mg/d) 8 15 18 18 8 8
Magnesium (mg/d) 240 360 310 320 320 320
Manganese (mg/d) 1.6 1.6 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8
Molybdenum (μg/d) 34 43 45 45 45 45
Phosphorus (mg/d) 1,250 1,250 700 700 700 700
Selenium (μg/d) 40 55 55 55 55 55
Zinc (mg/d) 8 9 8 8 8 8
Potassium (mg/d) 2,300 2,300 2,600 2,600 2,600 2,600
Sodium (mg/d) 1,200 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Chloride (g/d) 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2 1.8
Click here to download Women's recommended dietary allowance table

Men

Vitamins 9–13 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 51–70 y > 70 y
Vitamin A (μg/d) 600 900 900 900 900 900
Vitamin C (mg/d) 45 75 90 90 90 90
Vitamin D (μg/d) 15 15 15 15 15 20
Vitamin E (mg/d) 11 15 15 15 15 15
Vitamin K (μg/d) 60 75 120 120 120 120
Thiamin - Vitamin B1 (mg/d) 0.9 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2
Riboflavin - Vitamin B2 (mg/d) 0.9 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.3
Niacin - Vitamin B3 (mg/d) 12 16 16 16 16 16
Vitamin B6 (mg/d) 1 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.7 1.7
Folate - Vitamin B9 (μg/d) 300 400 400 400 400 400
Vitamin B12 (μg/d) 1.8 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.4
Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B5 (mg/d) 4 5 5 5 5 5
Biotin - Vitamin B7 (μg/d) 20 25 30 30 30 30
Choline (mg/d) 375 550 550 550 550 550
Minerals 9–13 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 51–70 y > 70 y
Calcium (mg/d) 1,300 1,300 1,000 1,000 1,200 1,200
Chromium (μg/d) 25 35 35 35 30 30
Copper (μg/d) 700 890 900 900 900 900
Fluoride (mg/d) 2 3 4 4 4 4
Iodine (μg/d) 120 150 150 150 150 150
Iron (mg/d) 8 11 8 8 8 8
Magnesium (mg/d) 240 410 400 420 420 420
Manganese (mg/d) 1.9 2.2 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3
Molybdenum (μg/d) 34 43 45 45 45 45
Phosphorus (mg/d) 1,250 1,250 700 700 700 700
Selenium (μg/d) 40 55 55 55 55 55
Zinc (mg/d) 8 11 11 11 11 11
Potassium (mg/d) 2,500 3,000 3,400 3,400 3,400 3,400
Sodium (mg/d) 1,200 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Chloride (g/d) 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2 1.8
Click here to download Men's recommended dietary allowance table

Pregnancy and Lactation

Pregnancy Lactation
Vitamins 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y
Vitamin A (μg/d) 750 770 770 1,200 1,300 1,300
Vitamin C (mg/d) 80 85 85 115 120 120
Vitamin D (μg/d) 15 15 15 15 15 15
Vitamin E (mg/d) 15 15 15 19 19 19
Vitamin K (μg/d) 75 90 90 75 90 90
Thiamin - Vitamin B1 (mg/d) 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4
Riboflavin - Vitamin B2 (mg/d) 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.6 1.6 1.6
Niacin - Vitamin B3 (mg/d) 18 18 18 17 17 17
Vitamin B6 (mg/d) 1.9 1.9 1.9 2 2 2
Folate - Vitamin B9 (μg/d) 600 600 600 500 500 500
Vitamin B12 (μg/d) 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.8
Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B5 (mg/d) 6 6 6 7 7 7
Biotin - Vitamin B7 (μg/d) 30 30 30 35 35 35
Choline (mg/d) 450 450 450 550 550 550
Minerals 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y 14–18 y 19–30 y 31–50 y
Calcium (mg/d) 1,300 1,000 1,000 1,300 1,000 1,000
Chromium (μg/d) 29 30 30 44 45 45
Copper (μg/d) 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,300 1,300 1,300
Fluoride (mg/d) 3 3 3 3 3 3
Iodine (μg/d) 220 220 220 290 290 290
Iron (mg/d) 27 27 27 10 9 9
Magnesium (mg/d) 400 350 360 360 310 320
Manganese (mg/d) 2 2 2 2.6 2.6 2.6
Molybdenum (μg/d) 50 50 50 50 50 50
Phosphorus (mg/d) 1,250 700 700 1,250 700 700
Selenium (μg/d) 60 60 60 70 70 70
Zinc (mg/d) 12 11 11 13 12 12
Potassium (mg/d) 2,600 2,900 2,900 2,500 2,800 2,800
Sodium (mg/d) 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Chloride (g/d) 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3
Click here to download Pregnancy and Lactation recommended dietary allowance table

Infants and Children

Infants Children
Vitamins 0–6 mo 6–12 mo 1–3 y 4–8 y
Vitamin A (μg/d) 400 500 300 400
Vitamin C (mg/d) 40 50 15 25
Vitamin D (μg/d) 10 10 15 15
Vitamin E (mg/d) 4 5 6 7
Vitamin K (μg/d) 2 2.5 30 55
Thiamin - Vitamin B1 (mg/d) 0.2 0.3 0.5 0.6
Riboflavin - Vitamin B2 (mg/d) 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6
Niacin - Vitamin B3 (mg/d) 2 4 6 8
Vitamin B6 (mg/d) 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.6
Folate - Vitamin B9 (μg/d) 65 80 150 200
Vitamin B12 (μg/d) 0.4 0.5 0.9 1.2
Pantothenic Acid - Vitamin B5 (mg/d) 1.7 1.8 2 3
Biotin - Vitamin B7 (μg/d) 5 6 8 12
Choline (mg/d) 125 150 200 250
Minerals 0–6 mo 6–12 mo 1–3 y 4–8 y
Calcium (mg/d) 200a 260a 700 1,000
Chromium (μg/d) 0.2 5.5 11 15
Copper (μg/d) 200 220 340 440
Fluoride (mg/d) 0.01 0.5 0.7 1
Iodine (μg/d) 110 130 90 90
Iron (mg/d) 0.27 11 7 10
Magnesium (mg/d) 30 75 80 130
Manganese (mg/d) 0.003 0.6 1.2 1.5
Molybdenum (μg/d) 2 3 17 22
Phosphorus (mg/d) 100 275 460 500
Selenium (μg/d) 15 20 20 30
Zinc (mg/d) 2 3 3 5
Potassium (mg/d) 400 860 2,000 2,300
Sodium (mg/d) 110 370 800 1,000
Chloride (g/d) 0.18 0.57 1.5 1.9
Click here to download Infants and Children recommended dietary allowance table