Smartfeed
Table: RDAs and ULs for Vitamins and Minerals
The Institute of Medicine has determined upper limits for 24 nutrients. Here is a chart comparing the RDA and UL for all of them.
This table only applies to adults age 19 or older. It also does not apply to women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, because they have different nutritional requirements. Anyone who is under 19, pregnant, or breastfeeding should check with a doctor before using supplements.
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intake (AI)
The RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) and the AI (Adequate Intake) are the amounts of a vitamin or mineral you need to stay healthy and avoid nutritional deficiencies. They are tailored to women, men, and specific age groups.
Nutrients with AIs are marked with an (*)
Upper Tolerable Limit (UL)
The highest amount you can take without risk
The UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level) is the maximum amount of daily vitamins and minerals that you can safely take without risking an overdose or serious side effects. For certain nutrients, the higher you go above the UL, the greater the chance of having problems.
Boron
Not determined.
20 mg/day
Calcium
Age 19-50: 1,000 mg/day *
Age 51 and up: 1,200 mg/day *
2,500 mg/day
Chloride
Age 19-50: 2,300 mg/day
Age 50-70: 2,000 mg/day
Age 70 and older: 1,800 mg/day
3,600 mg/day
Choline
(Vitamin B complex)
Age 70 and older: 1,800 mg/day
Women: 425 mg/day *
3,500 mg/day
Copper
900 micrograms/day
10,000 micrograms/day
Fluoride
Men: 4 mg/day *
Women: 3 mg/day *
10 mg/day
Folic Acid (Folate)
400 micrograms/day
1,000 micrograms/day
This applies only to synthetic folic acid in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for folic acid from natural sources.
Iodine
150 micrograms/day
1,100 micrograms/day
Iron
Men: 8 mg/day
Women age 19-50: 18 mg/day
Women age 51 and up: 8 mg/day
45 mg/day
Magnesium
Men age 19-30: 400 mg/day
Men age 31 and up: 420 mg/day
Women age 19-30: 310 mg/day
Women age 31 and up: 320 mg/day
350 mg/day
This applies only to magnesium in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for magnesium in food and water.
Manganese
Men: 2.3 mg/day *
Women: 1.8 mg/day*
11 mg/day
Molybdenum
45 micrograms/day
2,000 micrograms/day
Nickel
Not determined
1.0 mg/day
Phosphorus
700 mg/day
Up to age 70: 4,000 mg/day Over age 70: 3,000 mg/day
Selenium
55 micrograms/day
400 micrograms/day
Sodium
Age 19-50: 1,500 mg/day
Age 51-70: 1,300 mg/day
Age 71 and up: 1,200 mg/day
2,300 mg/day
Vanadium
Not determined
1.8 mg/day
Vitamin A
Men: 3,000 IU/day
Women: 2,310 IU/day
10,000 IU/day
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Men: 16 mg/day
Women: 14 mg/day
35 mg/day
This applies only to niacin in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for niacin in natural sources.
Vitamin B6
Men age 19-50: 1.3 mg/day
Men age 51 up:1.7 mg/day
Women age 19-50: 1.3 mg/day
Women age 51 up: 1.5 mg/day
100 mg/day
Vitamin C
Men: 90 mg/day
Women: 75 mg/day
2,000 mg/day
Vitamin D (Calciferol)
Age 19-50: 5 micrograms/day
(200 IU, or international units) *
Age 51-70: 10 micrograms/day
(400 IU) *
Over age 70: 15 micrograms/day
(600 IU) *
50 micrograms/day
(2,000 IU)
Vitamin E
(alpha-tocopherol)
22.4 IU/day
1,500 IU/day
This applies only to vitamin E in supplements or fortified foods. There is no upper limit for vitamin E from natural sources.
Zinc
Men: 11 mg/day
Women: 8 mg/day
40 mg/day