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Vitamin calculator

Look up daily vitamin reference intakes and upper levels by age, sex and pregnancy or breastfeeding status.

Calculator

Daily dietary reference values
NutrientDaily amountUnitReference typeUpper level (same unit unless noted)Scope
Vitamin A900.000mcg RAE/dayRDA3,000.000UL applies only to preformed vitamin A.
Vitamin C90.000mg/dayRDA2,000.000Smokers need 35 mg/day more.
Vitamin D15.000mcg/dayRDA100.000
Vitamin E15.000mg alpha-tocopherol/dayRDA1,000.000UL applies to supplemental alpha-tocopherol.
Vitamin K120.000mcg/dayAINot established
Thiamin1.200mg/dayRDANot established
Riboflavin1.300mg/dayRDANot established
Niacin16.000mg NE/dayRDA35.000UL applies to synthetic forms from supplements and fortified foods.
Vitamin B61.300mg/dayRDA100.000
Folate400.000mcg DFE/dayRDA1,000.000UL is mcg/day of synthetic folic acid, not mcg DFE.
Vitamin B122.400mcg/dayRDANot established
Pantothenic acid5.000mg/dayAINot established
Biotin30.000mcg/dayAINot established
Choline550.000mg/dayAI3,500.000

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How this calculator works

This table selects Health Canada's published RDA or AI and UL for the entered life stage. Amounts are daily usual intakes from all sources unless the scope column says otherwise. Infant tables are reference values, not instructions to give supplements. Age bands change at 6 months, 1, 4, 9, 14, 19, 31, 51 and 71 years; not every nutrient changes at each boundary. The result is an estimate for information only and is not medical advice.

Formula

Reference value = the published age, sex and life-stage table entry. There is no weight scaling or interpolation between age bands. ND is displayed as not established.

Worked example

A 30-year-old man has a vitamin C RDA of 90 mg/day; a woman of the same age has 75 mg/day.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between RDA and AI?

An RDA meets the needs of nearly all healthy people in a group. An AI is used when evidence is insufficient for an RDA.

Is the upper level a target?

No. A UL is a safety boundary for usual intake, with nutrient-specific scope. It is not a recommended dose.

Does no upper level mean unlimited intake is safe?

No. It often means evidence was insufficient to establish a UL.

Sources

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