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Vitamin & Mineral Minimum Daily Requirements

It's no secret that vitamins and minerals are an essential part of a healthy diet. But what's not always clear is just how much of these nutrients you need. The Institute of Medicine has established values for Dietary Reference Intakes, a system of differing nutrient intake levels for age- and gender-specific groups of people to help make nutrient requirements easier to understand.

  1. Estimated Average Requirements

    • While the DRI does not establish a minimum requirement for individual vitamins, the values shown here are the Estimated Average Requirement. EARs are nutrient values that satisfy the needs of about half the population. This is different from the Recommended Dietary Allowance, which sets nutrient intake values that prevent a deficiency in 98 percent of the population.

    EAR for Vitamins

    • Vitamin A: 485 micrograms (µg) for females 14 to 18; 500µg for females 19 and up; 630µg for males 14 to 18; 625µg for males 19 and up
      Vitamin E: 12 mg for males and females 14 and up
      Vitamin C: 60mg for females 19 and up; 75 for males 19 and up
      Thiamin: 0.9mg for females 14 and up; 1mg for males 14 and up
      Riboflavin: 0.9mg for females 14 and up; 1.1mg for males 14 and up
      Niacin: 11mg for females 14 and up; 12mg for males 14 and up
      Vitamin B6: 1.0mg for females 14 to 18; 1.1mg for females 19 to 50; 1.3mg for females 51 and up; 1.1mg for males 14 to 50; 1.4mg for males 51 and up
      Folate: 330µg for males and females 14 to 18; 320µg for males and females 19 and up
      Vitamin B12: 2µg for males and females 14 and up

    EAR for Minerals

    • Copper: 685µg for males and females 14 to 18; 700µg for males and females 19 and up
      Iodine: 95µg for males and females 14 and up
      Iron: 7.9mg for females 14 to 18; 8.1mg for females 19 to 50; 5mg for females 51 and up; 7.7mg for males 14 to 18; 6mg for males 19 and up
      Magnesium: 300mg for females 14 to 18; 255mg for females 19 to 30; 265mg for females 31 and up; 340mg for males 14 to 18; 330mg for males 19 to 30; 350mg for males 31 and up
      Molybdenum: 33µg for males and females 14 to 18; 34µg for males and females 19 and up
      Phosphorus: 1,055mg for males and females 18 and under; 580mg for males and females 19 and up
      Selenium: 45µg for males and females 14 and up
      Zinc: 7.3mg for females 14 to 18; 6.8mg for females 19 and up; 8.5mg for males 14 to 18; 9.4mg for males 19 and up

    Adequate Intakes

    • EARs have not been established for calcium, vitamin D, fluoride, pantothenic acid, biotin or choline. Instead, an Adequate Intake value has been set. This value is believed to meet the needs of all individuals, but lack of data prevents the Institute of Medicine from setting an RDA value.

    AI for Vitamins and Minerals

    • Calcium: 1300mg for males and females 14 to 18; 1000mg for males and females 19 to 50; 1200mg for males and females 51 and up.
      Vitamin D: 5µg for males and females 14 to 50; 10 µg for males and females 51 to 70; 15 µg for males and females over 70.
      Fluoride: 3mg for males 14 to 18; 4 mg for males 19 and up; 3 mg for females 14 and up.
      Pantothenic Acid: 5mg for males and females 14 and up.
      Biotin: 25 µg for males and females 14 to 18; 30 µg for males and females 19 and up.
      Choline: 550mg for males 14 and up; 400mg for females 14 to 18; 425mg for females 19 and up.

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