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RDA
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Deficiency/ toxicity
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Vitamin A
Retinol
Men: 3000 IU
Women: 2 700 IU
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Deficiency: Night blindness; reduced hair growth in children; loss of apetite; dry, rough skin; lowered resistance to infection; dry eyes.
Overdose: Headaches; blurred vision; fatigue; diarrhea; irregular periods; joint and bone pain; dry, cracked skin; rashes; loss of hair; vomiting, liver damage.
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Beta Carotene
(Pro-Vitamin A)
(See Vitamin A)
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Precursor of vitamin A.
The antioxidant properties of this nutrient may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer.
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Vitamin D
Men: 100 IU
Women: 100 IU
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Deficiency: Rickets in children; bone softening in adults; osteoporosis.
Overdose: Calcium deposits in organs; fragile bones; renal and cardiovascular damage.
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Vitamin E
Men: 9-10 mg
Women: 6-7 mg
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Deficiency: Rare, seen primarily in premature or low birth weight babies or children who do not absorb fat properly. Causes nerve abnormalities.
Overdose: Unknown.
The antioxidant properties of this nutrient may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer.
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The antioxidant properties of this nutrient may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer.
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Vitamin K
None established.
Estimated at 0.03 mcg/kg
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Deficiency:
Defective blood coagulation.
Overdose: Jaundice in infants.
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Thiamine
Vitamin B1
Men: 0.8 - 1.3 mg
Women: 0.8 mg
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Deficiency:
Anxiety; hysteria; depression; muscle cramps; loss of apetite; in extreme cases beriberi (mostly in alcoholics).
Overdose:
Unknown, although excess of one B vitamin may cause deficiency of others.
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Riboflavin
Vitamin B2
Men: 1.3 - 1.6 mg
Women: 1.1 mg
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Deficiency: Cracks and sores around the mouth and nose; visual problems.
Overdose: See Vitamin B1.
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Niacin
Vitamin B3
Men: 16-23 mg
Women: 14-16 mg
Niacin is converted to niacinamide in the body.
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Deficiency:
In extreme cases, pellagra, a disease characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea and mouth sores.
Overdose:
Hot flashes; ulcers; liver disorders; high blood sugar and uric acid; cardiac arrythmias.
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Pantothenic Acid
Vitamin B5
Men: 2.5 mg
Women: 2.5 mg
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Deficiency:
Unclear in humans.
Overdose:
See Vitamin B1.
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Vitamin B6
Pyridoxine
Men: 1.8 mg
Women: 1.5 mg
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Deficiency:
Anemia, irritability, patches of itchy, scaling skin; convulsions.
Overdose:
Nerve damage.
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Vitamin B12
Cyanocobalamin
Men: 2 mcg
Women: 2 mcg
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Deficiency:
Pernicious anemia; nerve damage. (Note: Deficiency rare except in strict vegetarians, the elderly or people with malabsorption disorders.)
Overdose:
See Vitamin B1.
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Biotin
60 mcg
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Deficiency:
Seborrhic dermatitis in infants. Rare in adults, but can be induced by consuming large amounts of egg whites - anorexia, nausea, vomiting, dry scaly skin.
Overdose:
See Vitamin B1
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Folic Acid (Folacin)
Men: 180-220 mg
Women: 160-190 mg
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Deficiency: Impaired cell division; anemia; diarrhea; gastrointestinal upsets.
Overdose: Convulsions in epileptics. May mask pernicious anemia (see Vitamin B12 deficiency).
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Adequate amounts of this nutrient in the first stage of pregnancy may reduce the risks of neural tube birth defects.
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Vitamin C
Ascorbic Acid
Men: 40 mg
Women: 30 mg
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Deficiency: Muscle weakness, bleeding gums; easy bruising. In extreme cases, scurvy.
Overdose: Unknown.
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The antioxidant properties of this nutrient may be a factor in reducing the risk of certain forms of cancer. May reduce the effects of the common cold.
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Calcium
Men: 800 - 1000 mg
Women: 700-800 mg
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Deficiency: Rickets in children; osteomalacia (soft bones) and osteoporosis in adults.
Overdose: Constipation, Kidney Stones, calcium deposits in body tissues. Hinders absorption of iron and other minerals.
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Phosphorus
Men: 1000 mg
Women: 850 mg (3-6 g)
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Deficiency: (Rare) Weakness; bone pain; Anorexia.
Overdose: Hinders body's absorption of calcium.
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Magnesium
Men: 230 - 250 mg
Women: 200 - 210 mg
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Deficiency: Nausea, irritability, muscle weakness; twitching; cramps, cardiac arrhythmias.
Overdose: Nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, nervous system disorders.
Warning: Overdose can be fatal to people with kidney disease.
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Potassium
Men: 40-80 mmol
Women: 40-80 mmol (3-6 g)
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Deficiency: Nausea, anorexia, muscle weakness, irritability. (Occurs most often in persons with prolonged diarrhea.)
Overdose:
Rare.
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Iron
(Elemental)
Men: 8-10 mg
Women: 8-13 mg
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Deficiency:
Skin pallor; weakness; fatigue; headaches; shortness of breath (all signs of iron-deficiency anemia)
Overdose:
Toxic buildup in liver and in rare instances the heart.
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Zinc
Men: 12 mg
Women: 9 mg
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Deficiency:
Slow healing of wounds; loss of taste; retarded growth and delayed sexual development in children.
Overdose:
Nausea, vomiting; diarrhea; abdominal pain; gastric bleeding.
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Selenium
0.05-0.2 mg
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Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose:
Finger nail changes, hair loss.
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Copper
2-3 mg
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Deficiency:
Rare in adults. Infants may develop a type of anemia marked by abnormal development of bones, nerve tissue and lungs.
Overdose:
Liver disease; vomiting; diarrhea.
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Manganese
2-5 mg
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Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose: Generally results from inhalation of manganese containing dust or fumes, not dietary ingestion.
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Molybdenum
0.15-0.3 mg
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Deficiency: Unknown in humans.
Overdose:
Gout-like joint pain.
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Participants