Common

Therapeutic
Nutrient Adult RDA or AI Dietary Considerations
Range for
Bone Health*
Calcium 800–1,200 mg 1,000–1,500 mg Typical diet is inadequate, averages 500–600 mg (Surgeon General, 2004;
Morgan, 1985).
Phosphorus 700 mg 700–1,200 mg Inadequate intake is rare except in elderly and malnourished; excessive
intake common with use of processed foods and soft drinks.
Magnesium 420 mg men 400-800 mg Intake generally inadequate: All ages, sexes, classes, except children less
320 mg women than 5, fail to consume this RDA. 40% of population, 50% of adolescents
consume less than 2/3 the RDA (Morgan, 1985; Lakshmanan, 1984;
Pennington, et al, 1986; Brown, 2005).
Fluoride 4.0 mg men — Fluoride overdose has occurred through ingestion of fluoride toothpaste and
3.0 mg women – high fluoride waters (Brown, 2005).

Silica No values yet set 5-20 mg Intake is unknown. Silica is removed in food processing, current intake is
suspected to be low.
Zinc 11 mg men 20-30 mg Marginal zinc deficiency is common, especially among children (Brown,
8 mg women 2005). Average intake was 46 to 63% the RDA (Pennington, et al, 1986).

Manganese 2.3 mg men 10-25 mg Intakes are generally inadequate, 1.76 mg adolescent girls 2.05 mg women,
1.8 mg women 2.5 males (Freeland–Graves, 1988).

Copper 900 mcg men and women 2–3 mg 75% of diets fail to contain the RDA (Klevay, 1979; Pennington, et al 1986).
Average intake is below the RDA (Brown, 2005).
Boron No RDA established 3–4 mg 1/4 mg intake is common (Nielsen, et al., 1987) to perhaps optimum of 3 mg
Potassium 4,700 mg men and women 4,700-5,000 Adult intake averages 2,300 mg for women and 3,250 mg for men (Hajjar, et
al, 2001).
Vitamin D 400-until age 70; then 800-2,000 IU & Deficiency is common especially among the elderly, dark skinned and those
600 IU, men and women up as needed with little UV sunlight exposure.

Vitamin C 90 mg men Oral 500 mg–to Average daily intake is about 95 mg for women and 107 for men
75 mg women bowel tolerance (http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/vit_0264.s
as needed html).
Vitamin A 2,997 IU men 5,000 IU or less 31% consume less than 70% the RDA (Pao & Mickle, 1981) Current intake
2,331 IU adult women for women is about 2,373 mcg/day (Feskanich, et al, 2002).

Vitamin B6 1.7 mg men 25-50 mg Studies indicate widespread inadequate vitamin B6 consumption among all
1.5 mg women sectors of the population (Serfontein, et al, 1984).

Folic acid 400 mcg men and women 800-1,000 mcg Inadequate intake was common among all age groups, but is improving with
food fortification (Brown, 2005)
Vitamin K 120 mcg men 1,000 mcg Averages 45 to 150 mcg, which is well below the recommendation AI (Booth
90 mcg women & Suttie, 1998).

Vitamin B12 2.4 mg men and women 100–1,000 mcg 12% consume less than 70% RDA (Pao & Mickle, 1981).
Older people and vegans are especially at risk (Brown, 2005).
Fats Should comprise 7% of 20-30% of total The average American consumes 33% of his/her calories in fat. The
calories minimum, General calories is consumption of essential fatty acids, however, is frequently inadequate
recommendation is not to perhaps more (Brown, 2005).
exceed 30% of calories ideal
Protein 0.8 grams per kilo per day 1.0 to1.5 grams Intake commonly exceeds 100 grams, but the elderly and women over 50
men and women – per kilo often have very deficient intakes. Higher protein intakes should be balanced
125 lb person = 45 grams with higher RDA level potassium intakes from food sources (Brown, 2005).
175 lbs person = 63 grams
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