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Look up Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for essential nutrients using simplified Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) from U.S./Canadian reference values. Personalize by age, gender, and body weight for protein. Plan daily intake to the RDA, not the EAR alone. More tools on our medical calculators hub.
Last updated: June 4, 2026
Simplified age scaling; official DRIs use detailed life-stage groups
Required for weight-based protein EAR (0.66 g/kg) and RDA (0.8 g/kg)
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
75 mg/day
~50% of the group at this intake
RDA (planning target):
90 mg/day
~97–98% coverage
Upper limit (UL):
2000 mg/day
EAR (75 mg/day) is the average intake that meets the requirement of half of healthy males in this simplified age band. RDA (90 mg/day) is set higher—typically near EAR plus two standard deviations of requirement—to cover ~97–98% of individuals. Use RDA as the individual planning goal when an RDA exists.
Rich food sources
Recommendations
Default demo
EAR 75 mg/day
RDA 90 mg/day
EAR 8.1 mg/day
RDA 18 mg/day
EAR 50.9 g/day
RDA 61.7 g/day
EAR 1000 mg/day
RDA 1200 mg/day
| Component | Coverage / meaning | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| EAR — Estimated Average Requirement | ~50% of the life-stage group | Population adequacy assessment; basis for setting RDA when data allow |
| RDA — Recommended Dietary Allowance | ~97–98% of healthy individuals | Individual daily planning goal when an RDA exists |
| AI — Adequate Intake | Assumed adequate when EAR unknown | Used for fiber, some minerals, and nutrients with limited requirement data |
| UL — Tolerable Upper Intake Level | Risk of harm above this chronic intake | Upper bound for total intake from food + supplements |
| AMDR — Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range | % of calories from carbs, fat, protein | Chronic disease risk reduction ranges—not a minimum requirement |
EAR = median requirement (~50% of the group meets need at this intake)
RDA = EAR + 2 × SDrequirement
If SD is ~10% of EAR, RDA is often ~120% of EAR (e.g., vitamin C 75 → 90 mg). Protein uses g/kg: EAR 0.66 g/kg, RDA 0.8 g/kg for adults—not a fixed gram value for all body sizes.
| Nutrient | EAR (M) | RDA (M) | EAR (F) | RDA (F) | UL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 52 g/day | 56 g/day | 42 g/day | 46 g/day | None established |
| Calcium | 800 mg/day | 1000 mg/day | 800 mg/day | 1000 mg/day | 2500 mg/day |
| Iron | 6 mg/day | 8 mg/day | 8.1 mg/day | 18 mg/day | 45 mg/day |
| Vitamin C | 75 mg/day | 90 mg/day | 60 mg/day | 75 mg/day | 2000 mg/day |
| Vitamin D | 10 mcg/day | 15 mcg/day | 10 mcg/day | 15 mcg/day | 100 mcg/day |
| Vitamin B12 | 2 mcg/day | 2.4 mcg/day | 2 mcg/day | 2.4 mcg/day | None established |
| Folate | 320 mcg DFE/day | 400 mcg DFE/day | 320 mcg DFE/day | 400 mcg DFE/day | 1000 mcg/day DFE |
| Zinc | 9.4 mg/day | 11 mg/day | 6.8 mg/day | 8 mg/day | 40 mg/day |
| Magnesium | 330 mg/day | 420 mg/day | 255 mg/day | 320 mg/day | 350 mg/day (supplemental) |
| Vitamin A | 625 mcg RAE/day | 900 mcg RAE/day | 500 mcg RAE/day | 700 mcg RAE/day | 3000 mcg RAE/day |
Protein adult defaults are fixed grams until weight is entered; then EAR/RDA use 0.66 and 0.8 g/kg.
Side-by-side Estimated Average Requirement and Recommended Dietary Allowance with plain-language interpretation of which number to use for daily goals.
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels remind you that more is not better for vitamin A, iron, zinc, and other nutrients with defined ULs.
Nutrient-rich foods listed per selection to support food-first intake before supplements.
Official DRIs split infants, children, teens, adults, pregnancy trimesters, and lactation into separate tables. This calculator uses adult reference values with approximate child/teen scaling and senior calcium/vitamin D bumps—not the full NASEM spreadsheet. Therapeutic diets (renal, hepatic, bariatric) and drug–nutrient interactions require specialist input.
Related: vitamin D deficiency risk calculator, BMI calculator.
Not medical advice: DRIs apply to generally healthy people. Pregnancy, disease, and malnutrition need individualized plans from qualified clinicians—not this calculator alone.
For nutrition students, dietetics interns, and health-conscious meal planning
Suggested hashtags: #Nutrition #EAR #RDA #Dietary #Calculator