This table presents Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) in italics, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) in bold type and Adequate Intakes (AIs) in ordinary type followed by an asterisk (*). Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) are in shaded columns.

** New 2010 values have replaced previous 1997 values.

¹⁶Although a UL was not determined for arsenic, there is no justification for adding arsenic to food or supplements.

¹⁷Due to lack of suitable data, ULs could not be established for arsenic and chromium. This does not mean that there is no potential for adverse effects resulting from high intakes.

Note: These are reference values for normal, apparently healthy individuals eating a typical mixed North American diet. An individual may have physiological, health, or lifestyle characteristics that may require tailoring of specific nutrient values.

This table presents Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) in italics, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) in bold type and Adequate Intakes (AIs) in ordinary type followed by an asterisk (*). Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) are in shaded columns.

¹⁸The requirement for iron is 1.8 times higher for vegetarians due to the lower bioavailability of iron from a vegetarian diet.

¹⁹The UL for magnesium represents intake from a pharmacological agent only and does not include intake from food and water.

^eFor the EAR and RDA, it is assumed that girls younger than 14 years do not menstruate and that girls 14 years and older do menstruate. It is assumed that women 51 years and older are post-menopausal.

Note: These are reference values for normal, apparently healthy individuals eating a typical mixed North American diet. An individual may have physiological, health, or lifestyle characteristics that may require tailoring of specific nutrient values.

This table presents Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) in italics, Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) in bold type and Adequate Intakes (AIs) in ordinary type followed by an asterisk (*). Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) are in shaded columns.

²⁰Although silicon has not been shown to cause adverse effects in humans, there is no justification for adding silicon to supplements.

²¹Due to lack of suitable data, ULs could not be established for silicon, potassium, and sulfate . This does not mean that there is no potential for adverse effects resulting from high intakes.

²²Although vanadium in food has not been shown to cause adverse effects in humans, there is no justification for adding vanadium to food and vanadium supplements should be used with caution. The UL is based on adverse effects in laboratory animals and this data could be used to set a UL for adults but not children and adolescents.

²³The requirement for zinc may be as much as 50 percent greater for vegetarians, particularly for strict vegetarians whose major food staples are grains and legumes, due to the lower bioavailability of zinc from a vegetarian diet.

²⁴The beneficial effects of potassium appear to be mainly from the forms of potassium found naturally in foods such as fruits and vegetables. Supplemental potassium should only be provided under medical supervision

²⁵Grams of sodium x 2.53 = grams of salt.

²⁶Sodium and chloride are normally found in foods together as sodium chloride (table salt). For this reason, the AI and UL for chloride are set at a level equivalent on a molar basis to those for sodium, since almost all dietary chloride comes with sodium added during processing or consumption of foods.

²⁷An AI for sulfate was not established because sulfate requirements are met when dietary intakes contain recommended levels of sulfur amino acids (protein).

Note: These are reference values for normal, apparently healthy individuals eating a typical mixed North American diet. An individual may have physiological, health, or lifestyle characteristics that may require tailoring of specific nutrient values.