USDA RDA Vitamin Recommendations

In 1997, the USDA updated its recommendations for the daily vitamin intake known as the RDA. The new set of guidelines are called the DRI - Dietary Reference Intakes. This set of changes is still being discussed by the medical community, and can of course be changed going forward. However, it's good to have a basic guideline of how much of eat vitamin to eat.

I am showing values for an adult female - the values for children and for men varies. Make sure you pay CLOSE attention to the units for each vitamin. Often times, manufacturers will use different units when they market their products.

The number given is the old (1989) RDA value, unless starred. A starred number is the 1997 DRI value.

Vitamin A - 800ug
Vitamin B6 - 1.6mg
Vitamin B12 - 2.0ug
Vitamin D - 5ug*
Vitamin E - 8mg
Vitamin K - 65ug
Vitamin C - 60mg

Calcium - 1000mg*
Flouride - 3.1mg*
Folate - 180ug
Iodine - 150ug
Iron - 15mg
Magnesium - 320mg*
Niacin - 15mg
Phosphorus - 700mg*
Riboflavin - 1.3mg
Selenium - 55ug
Thiamin - 1.1mg
Zinc - 12mg

Protein - 50g