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Vitamins: 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 vitamins—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 vitamin, the first line is for everyone ages 14 and older, unless a second or third line specifies an age group.

When a cell in the table is blank, the information in the row above it holds true for that age as well.

NK   means "not known"
mg   milligrams
mcg   micrograms (1,000 mcg = 1 mg)
IU   International Units (how many mg or mcg varies by nutrient)
     
Vitamin Women Men
  minimum maximum minimum maximum
Vitamin A 700 mcg 3,000 mcg 900 mcg 3,000 mcg
Vitamin A in IU 2,334 IU 10,000 IU 3,000 IU 10,000 IU
Vitamin B1 Thiamin 1.1 mg NK 1.2 mg NK
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin 1.1 mg NK 1.3 mg NK
Vitamin B3 Niacin 14 mg 35 mg 16 mg 35 mg
Vitamin B6 1.3 mg 100 mg 1.3 mg 100 mg
Vitamin B6 ages 51+ 1.5 mg 1.7 mg
Vitamin B12 2.4 mcg NK 2.4 mcg NK
Folate 400 mcg 1,000 mcg 400 mcg 1,000 mcg
Pantothenic acid 5 mg NK 5 mg NK
Biotin 30 mcg NK 30 mcg NK
Biotin ages 14-18 25 mcg 25 mcg
Choline 425 mg 3,500 mg 550 mg 3,500 mg
Vitamin C 75 mg 2,000 mg 90 mg 2,000 mg
Vitamin D 5 mcg 50 mcg 5 mcg 50 mcg
Vitamin D ages 51-70 10 mcg 10 mcg
Vitamin D ages 71+ 15 mcg 15 mcg
Vitamin E 15 mg 1,000 mg 15 mg 1,000 mg
Vitamin E (natural) in IU 22 IU 1,100 IU 22 IU 1,100 IU
Vitamin E (synthetic) in IU 33 IU 1,500 IU 33 IU 1,500 IU
Vitamin K 90 mcg NK 120 mcg NK
Vitamin K ages 14-18 75 mcg 75 mcg

 

   
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(c) Copyright 1999-2003 Dietary Supplement Quality Initiative. For permission to reprint, please contact our editor.