Reference · DRI Tables

DRI Chart: Complete Reference Tables by Age and Sex (2026)

✍️ By The DRI Calculator Team | 📅 Published: June 2, 2026 | 🔄 Updated: June 2, 2026 | ⏱ 8 min read

If you're looking for a clear, complete DRI chart, this page has all the official Dietary Reference Intake values in one place — sourced directly from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). You'll find RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), AI (Adequate Intake), and UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level) values for every major vitamin, mineral, and macronutrient, broken down by age, sex, and life stage. The tables below cover infants, children, teens, adult men, adult women, pregnancy, and lactation. Every number traces back to the original NASEM DRI reports and is cross-referenced with the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. New to DRI? Read our plain-English guide to DRI first to understand what these values mean. Then come back here for the complete reference chart.

How to read a DRI chart (the 4 values explained)

Before diving into the numbers, you need to know what each abbreviation means. The DRI system uses four reference values — most charts mix them together, so it helps to know what you're reading.

Value	What it means	Use it for
RDA	Recommended Dietary Allowance — meets the needs of 97–98% of healthy people	Your daily intake target
AI	Adequate Intake — used when there's not enough data for an RDA	Treat the same as RDA
EAR	Estimated Average Requirement — meets 50% of a group's needs	Research and population studies (not personal)
UL	Tolerable Upper Intake Level — the safe daily ceiling	Don't exceed (especially with supplements)

Throughout this chart, an asterisk (*) after a value means it's an AI (Adequate Intake) rather than an RDA. Treat both the same way in everyday use — they're your daily target.

Quick read: bold number = RDA (your goal). Number with * = AI (also your goal, less research). UL = the ceiling, don't exceed.

The 4 reference values that make up the DRI system. Source: NASEM.

Calories & macronutrients (energy, protein, carbs, fat, fiber)

Macronutrient targets vary much more by activity level than micronutrients do. Calorie estimates here assume moderate activity — use the DRI Calculator for your personalized number based on activity level.

Daily calorie needs (kcal/day, moderate activity)

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Age group	Male	Female
4–8 years	1,600	1,400
9–13 years	1,800	1,600
14–18 years	2,400	2,000
19–30 years	2,400	2,000
31–50 years	2,200	1,800
51+ years	2,000	1,600
Pregnancy (2nd trim)	—	+340
Pregnancy (3rd trim)	—	+452
Lactation	—	+330–400

Macronutrients: protein, carbs, fat, fiber

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Life stage	Protein RDA (g/day)	Carbs RDA (g/day)	Fat AI (g/day)	Fiber AI (g/day)
Children 4–8	19	130	25*	25*
Boys 9–13	34	130	31*	31*
Girls 9–13	34	130	26*	26*
Men 19–50	56	130	—	38*
Men 51+	56	130	—	30*
Women 19–50	46	130	—	25*
Women 51+	46	130	—	21*
Pregnancy	71	175	—	28*
Lactation	71	210	—	29*

About fat: NASEM doesn't set a specific RDA for total fat in adults. Instead, the AMDR (Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range) is 20–35% of calories. There ARE specific RDAs for omega-3 (1.6 g men / 1.1 g women) and omega-6 (17 g men / 12 g women).

Water-soluble vitamins (B-complex & C)

Water-soluble vitamins aren't stored in large amounts — your body excretes excess. You need them regularly through diet. Values shown are RDAs unless marked with an asterisk (*) for AI.

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Life stage	B1 Thiamin (mg)	B2 Riboflavin (mg)	B3 Niacin (mg NE)	B6 (mg)	Folate (µg DFE)	B12 (µg)	Vitamin C (mg)
Children 4–8	0.6	0.6	8	0.6	200	1.2	25
Boys 9–13	0.9	0.9	12	1.0	300	1.8	45
Girls 9–13	0.9	0.9	12	1.0	300	1.8	45
Men 19–50	1.2	1.3	16	1.3	400	2.4	90
Men 51+	1.2	1.3	16	1.7	400	2.4	90
Women 19–50	1.1	1.1	14	1.3	400	2.4	75
Women 51+	1.1	1.1	14	1.5	400	2.4	75
Pregnancy	1.4	1.4	18	1.9	600	2.6	85
Lactation	1.4	1.6	17	2.0	500	2.8	120

Other B-vitamins not shown above:

Pantothenic Acid (B5): 5 mg AI for adults, 6 mg pregnancy, 7 mg lactation
Biotin (B7): 30 µg AI for adults, 30 µg pregnancy, 35 µg lactation
Choline: 550 mg AI men / 425 mg AI women, 450 mg pregnancy, 550 mg lactation

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in body fat and the liver. They take longer to deplete than water-soluble vitamins, but they also have a higher risk of toxicity if over-supplemented.

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Life stage	Vit A (µg RAE)	Vit D (µg)	Vit D (IU)	Vit E (mg)	Vit K (µg)
Children 4–8	400	15	600	7	55*
Boys 9–13	600	15	600	11	60*
Girls 9–13	600	15	600	11	60*
Men 19–70	900	15	600	15	120*
Men 71+	900	20	800	15	120*
Women 19–70	700	15	600	15	90*
Women 71+	700	20	800	15	90*
Pregnancy	770	15	600	15	90*
Lactation	1,300	15	600	19	90*

Unit conversions to know:

Vitamin A: 1 RAE = 1 µg retinol = 12 µg β-carotene
Vitamin D: 1 µg = 40 IU (so 15 µg = 600 IU)
Vitamin E: as α-tocopherol
Folate: 1 µg DFE = 1 µg food folate = 0.6 µg folic acid from supplements

Want YOUR personalized DRI numbers?

Enter your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level. The calculator pulls the exact RDA, AI, and UL for every nutrient that applies to you.

Open the DRI Calculator →

Major minerals (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium)

"Major" minerals are needed in larger quantities (more than 100 mg per day). They play structural and electrolyte roles in the body.

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Life stage	Calcium (mg)	Phosphorus (mg)	Magnesium (mg)	Sodium AI (mg)	Potassium AI (mg)
Children 4–8	1,000	500	130	1,000	2,300
Boys 9–13	1,300	1,250	240	1,200	2,500
Girls 9–13	1,300	1,250	240	1,200	2,300
Men 19–30	1,000	700	400	1,500	3,400
Men 31–50	1,000	700	420	1,500	3,400
Men 51+	1,000–1,200	700	420	1,500	3,400
Women 19–50	1,000	700	310–320	1,500	2,600
Women 51+	1,200	700	320	1,500	2,600
Pregnancy	1,000	700	350–360	1,500	2,900
Lactation	1,000	700	310–320	1,500	2,800

Note on sodium: The 2019 NASEM update established a Chronic Disease Risk Reduction (CDRR) intake of 2,300 mg/day for adults — meaning intake above this is linked to higher chronic disease risk. The AI of 1,500 mg is what your body actually needs.

Trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, selenium, iodine, etc.)

Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts (under 100 mg/day), but deficiencies in iron, zinc, or iodine can cause major health problems.

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Life stage	Iron (mg)	Zinc (mg)	Copper (µg)	Selenium (µg)	Iodine (µg)	Manganese AI (mg)
Children 4–8	10	5	440	30	90	1.5*
Boys 9–13	8	8	700	40	120	1.9*
Girls 9–13	8	8	700	40	120	1.6*
Men 19+	8	11	900	55	150	2.3*
Women 19–50	18	8	900	55	150	1.8*
Women 51+	8	8	900	55	150	1.8*
Pregnancy	27	11	1,000	60	220	2.0*
Lactation	9	12	1,300	70	290	2.6*

Other trace minerals (AI values for adults):

Fluoride: 4 mg AI men / 3 mg AI women (mostly from water)
Chromium: 35 µg AI men / 25 µg AI women
Molybdenum: 45 µg RDA adults

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) — the safety ceiling

The UL is the maximum daily amount you can take without serious risk of harm. Most people don't exceed ULs through food alone — but supplements can push you past easily. These are the nutrients to watch most carefully.

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Nutrient	UL for adults	What happens past the UL
Vitamin A	3,000 µg RAE	Liver damage, birth defects in pregnancy, bone loss
Vitamin D	100 µg (4,000 IU)	Hypercalcemia, kidney stones, organ calcification
Vitamin E	1,000 mg	Increased bleeding risk (hemorrhagic stroke)
Niacin (B3)	35 mg	Skin flushing, liver toxicity, glucose intolerance
Vitamin B6	100 mg	Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
Folate (from supplements)	1,000 µg	Masks B12 deficiency, possible cancer risk
Vitamin C	2,000 mg	Diarrhea, kidney stone risk
Choline	3,500 mg	Fishy body odor, low blood pressure, sweating
Calcium	2,500 mg (2,000 if 51+)	Kidney stones, calcium deposits in soft tissues
Iron	45 mg	GI distress, acute toxicity (especially in children)
Zinc	40 mg	Nausea, copper deficiency, immune suppression
Selenium	400 µg	Selenosis: hair loss, nail brittleness, GI upset
Iodine	1,100 µg	Thyroid dysfunction (both hyper- and hypothyroidism)
Magnesium (supplement)	350 mg	Diarrhea (food magnesium has no UL)

How close common supplement doses come to the safety ceiling. Stacking multiple supplements raises the risk.

The big risks: Vitamin A, vitamin D, iron, and niacin are the four supplements with the narrowest safety margin. Many multivitamins push close to the UL on these. Check labels before stacking supplements.

Pregnancy & lactation values (quick reference)

Pregnancy and lactation change DRI values across nearly every nutrient. Here's the quick comparison vs non-pregnant women aged 19–50. For full details, see our DRI for Pregnancy guide.

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Nutrient	Non-pregnant	Pregnancy	Lactation
Calories (kcal)	1,800–2,000	+340 to +452	+330 to +400
Protein (g)	46	71	71
Iron (mg)	18	27	9
Folate (µg DFE)	400	600	500
Iodine (µg)	150	220	290
Vitamin A (µg RAE)	700	770	1,300
Vitamin C (mg)	75	85	120
Zinc (mg)	8	11	12
Choline (mg)	425	450	550

DRI vs Daily Value (% DV on food labels)

The numbers on this chart are DRI values, which vary by age, sex, and life stage. The percentages you see on food labels are Daily Values (DV) — different system, fixed numbers based on a generic 2,000 kcal diet.

So when a label says "25% DV calcium," that's 25% of 1,300 mg = 325 mg. But your actual calcium RDA might be 1,000 mg (adult) or 1,200 mg (woman over 50) — different from the DV reference. For the full breakdown, see our DRI vs RDA vs DV guide.

Quick rule: Use DRI values from this chart to know your personal targets. Use % DV on labels to compare products on the shelf.

Frequently Asked Questions

An RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) is set when there's strong research data. An AI (Adequate Intake) is used when research isn't conclusive enough for an RDA — it's based on observed intakes of healthy populations. For everyday use, treat both the same way: they're your daily target.

Body size, muscle mass, hormones, and reproductive biology all affect nutrient needs. Men generally need more calories, protein, and certain minerals like zinc. Women of reproductive age need more iron (18 mg vs 8 mg for men) due to menstrual blood loss. After menopause, female iron needs drop back to 8 mg.

Yes. DRIs are jointly published by NASEM in collaboration with Health Canada. Both countries use the same reference values across all nutrients. Other countries have their own equivalents (Nutrient Reference Values in Australia/NZ, Population Reference Intakes in Europe), with similar numbers based on the same underlying science.

Updates are periodic — usually 10+ years between revisions per nutrient. Recent updates include vitamin D and calcium (2011), sodium and potassium (2019). The chart on this page reflects the most current published NASEM values as of 2026.

Always the RDA (or AI). The UL is a safety ceiling, not a target. Consistently hitting the RDA covers 97–98% of healthy people's needs. Going above the RDA toward the UL doesn't provide extra benefits for most nutrients and increases risk of side effects for some.

EAR (Estimated Average Requirement) is the value researchers use to assess population intakes and calculate RDAs. It only covers 50% of a group's needs, so it's not useful as a personal target. For individual reference, RDA and AI are the values to focus on.

Yes. NASEM sets DRIs for healthy individuals. If you have a medical condition like chronic kidney disease, diabetes, malabsorption disorders, or are on certain medications, your nutrient needs may differ significantly. Work with a registered dietitian or physician for personalized guidance.

The official complete DRI tables are published by NASEM and freely available as PDFs at the National Academies Press website (nap.edu). For your personalized numbers based on your age, sex, weight, and activity level, use our free DRI calculator — it pulls the exact RDA, AI, and UL for every nutrient that applies to your profile.

Yes, NASEM publishes AI values for infants 0–6 months and 7–12 months for every nutrient. These are based on average intakes from breast milk in the first 6 months, then breast milk plus complementary foods. Infant nutrition is highly specialized — always work with a pediatrician for infant feeding plans.

Use the chart as a reference to understand the values. Use the calculator to get YOUR specific numbers — it takes your age, sex, weight, height, and activity level and shows your personal RDA, AI, and UL for every nutrient. The calculator does the lookup for you instantly.

Disclaimer & Sources: This DRI chart is compiled from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) Dietary Reference Intake tables (1997–2019), cross-referenced with the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2020–2025), and Health Canada. Calorie figures use the Mifflin–St Jeor predictive equation (1990). This is general nutritional reference information, not medical or dietetic advice. If you have a medical condition, take medications, or are pregnant, consult a registered dietitian or physician before making changes to your diet or starting supplements.