Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is a set of guidelines set up in 1997 to give more detailed guidance than the Recommended Dietary Allowance system which preceded it. It was a collaboration between the USA and Canada.

The DRI is composed of:

• Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), expected to satisfy the needs of 50% of the people in that age group.
• Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
• Adequate intake (AI), where no RDA has been established
• Tolerable upper intake levels (UL), to caution against excessive intake of nutrients (like vitamin D) that can be harmful in large amounts.

RDA/AIs and ULs for a 25-year old male include:

Nutrient RDA/AI UL Vitamin A 900 3,000 mcg/day Vitamin C 90 2,000 mg/day Vitamin D 5 50 mcg/day Vitamin E 15 1,000 mg/day Vitamin K 120 mcg/day Folate 400 1,000 mcg/day Vitamin B6 1.3 100 mg/day Vitamin B12 2.4 mcg/day Chromium 35 mcg/day Copper 0.9 10 mg/day Iron 8 45 mg/day Manganese 2.3 11 mg/day Selenium 55 400 mcg/day Zinc 11 40 mg/day

External links

• US Government Food and Nutrition Information Center list of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) and Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)