|
Minerals: Recommended Intake Levels
30
June 2004
by Wyn Snow, Managing Editor
The
following chart shows the recommended minimum daily intake levels
and the recommended "not to exceed" daily maximums (tolerable
upper intake levels) for minerals—as recommended for healthy
adults by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy's
Institute of Medicine.
When
there is more than one line for a mineral, the first line is for
everyone ages 14 and older, unless a second or third line
specifies an age group.
It's
not necessary for your multi-vitamin/mineral to contain 100% of
every nutrient. The most important minerals are calcium, magnesium
and zinc—plus iron for menstruating women. Even then, however,
the recommended daily intake for calcium would not fit into a single
pill (or if it did, the pill would be huge).
| NK |
|
means
"not known" |
| mg |
|
milligrams |
| mcg |
|
micrograms
(1,000 mcg = 1 mg) |
| |
|
|
| Mineral |
Women |
Men |
|
minimum |
maximum |
minimum |
maximum |
| Boron |
NK |
20
mg |
NK |
20
mg |
| Boron
ages 14-18 |
|
17
mg |
|
17
mg |
| Calcium |
1,000
mg |
2,500
mg |
1,000
mg |
2,500
mg |
| Calcium
ages 14-18 |
1,300
mg |
|
1,300
mg |
|
| Calcium
ages 51+ |
1,200
mg |
|
1,200
mg |
|
| Chromium |
25
mcg |
NK |
35
mcg |
NK |
| Chromium
ages 51+ |
20
mcg |
|
30
mcg |
|
| Copper |
900
mcg |
10,000 mcg |
900
mcg |
10,000 mcg |
| Fluoride |
3
mg |
10
mg |
4
mg |
10
mg |
| Iodine |
150
mcg |
1,000
mcg |
150
mcg |
1,000
mcg |
| Iron |
18
mg |
45
mg |
8
mg |
45
mg |
| Iron
ages 14-18 |
15
mg |
|
11
mg |
|
| Iron
ages 50+ |
8
mg |
|
|
|
| Magnesium |
310
mg |
350
mg |
400
mg |
350
mg |
| Magnesium ages 14-18 |
360
mg |
|
410
mg |
|
| Magnesium
ages 31+ |
320
mg |
|
420
mg |
|
| Manganese |
1.8
mg |
11
mg |
2.3
mg |
11
mg |
| Manganese ages 14-18 |
1.6
mg |
9
mg |
2.2
mg |
9
mg |
| Molybdenum |
45
mcg |
2,000 mcg |
45
mcg |
2,000 mcg |
| Molybdenum ages 14-18 |
43
mcg |
1,700
mcg |
43
mcg |
1,700 mcg |
| Nickel |
NK |
1.0
mg |
NK |
1.0
mg |
| Phosphorus |
700
mg |
4,000 mg |
700
mg |
4,000
mg |
| Phosphorus ages 14-18 |
1,250 mg |
|
1,250 mg |
|
| Selenium |
55
mcg |
400
mcg |
55
mcg |
400
mcg |
| Vanadium |
NK |
1.8
mg |
NK |
1.8
mg |
| Zinc |
8
mg |
40
mg |
11
mg |
40
mg |
| Zinc
ages 14-18 |
9
mg |
34
mg |
|
34
mg |
|
