What is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamins?

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamins and minerals has been prepared by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council since 1941. These guidelines were originally developed to reduce the rates of severe nutritional deficiency diseases, such as scurvy (deficiency of vitamin C), pellagra (deficiency of niacin), and beriberi (deficiency of vitamin B1). Another critical point is that the RDAs were designed to serve as the basis for evaluating the adequacy of diets of groups of people, not individuals, because individuals vary too widely in their nutritional requirements.

As stated by the Food and Nutrition Board, "Individuals with special nutritional needs are not covered by the RDAs." Statistically speaking, RDAs prevented deficiency diseases in 97 percent of a population, but there was no scientific basis that they met the needs of any individual person. In 1993, the Food and Nutrition Board put the RDA revision process into motion by holding a symposium and asking for scientific and public comment on how the RDAs should be revised.

Utilizing feedback from this conference and other sources, the Food and Nutrition Board developed an ambitious framework for revamping the old RDAs. Rather than having a single group of scientists revise the existing set of RDAs, they had expert panels review nutrient categories in much more detail than had ever been done before. The Food and Nutrition Board partnered with Health Canada, the Canadian government agency responsible for nutrition policy, and the two groups jointly appointed the Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes of the Food and Nutrition Board.

As a result, not only did the definition of RDAs change, but three new values were also created: the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), the Adequate Intake (AI), and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL). All four values are collectively known as Dietary Reference Intakes, or DRIs. The DRIs reflect a shift in emphasis from preventing deficiency to decreasing the risk of chronic disease through nutrition and proper nutritional supplementation.

The RDAs were based on the amounts needed to protect against deficiency diseases. Where adequate scientific data exists, the DRIs strive to include levels that can help prevent certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and other diseases that are diet-related.

No recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is set for boron, and requirements vary from 1 to 6 milligrams per day, though most diets provide only 1 to 3 milligrams per day. Dried fruit, nuts, bananas, apples, and other fruits and vegetables are good sources of boron. Since nuts, fruits, and vegetables are the main dietary sources of boron, diets low in these foods may be deficient in boron.

Although the RDA for niacin (vitamin B3) is based on caloric intake, an intake of at least 18 milligrams per day is recommended by most authorities. However, additional niacin has been shown to exert a favorable effect on many health conditions. Supplemental niacin is available as either nicotinic acid or niacinamide.

Each form has different applications. In the nicotinic acid form, niacin is an effective agent for lowering blood cholesterol levels, while in the niacinamide form, niacin is useful in treating arthritis. In the field of orthomolecular psychiatry, large doses of niacin, in the form of nicotinic acid or niacinamide, are often utilized in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Doses in excess of 50 milligrams of niacin as nicotinic acid produce a transient flushing of the skin. However, high doses -- two to six grams per day -- of either nicotinic acid or niacinamide should be monitored by a physician as they may result in liver disorders, peptic ulcers, and glucose intolerance.

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Although there is no official RDA for sulfur, it is a critical nutrient. Daily intake is usually 800 to 900 milligrams of sulfur per day. Certain health conditions, such as arthritis and liver disorders, may be improved by increasing the intake of sulfur to 1,500 milligrams per day in supplemental form (most commonly as methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM).

Sulfur-rich foods include eggs, legumes, whole grains, garlic, onions, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.