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How are Mineral and Vitamin Requirements Determined?

Posted by Cole Adam on
How are Mineral and Vitamin Requirements Determined?

In 1747, Scottish surgeon James Lind was the first to study the effect of citrus fruit on sailors suffering from scurvy, a disease causing bleeding of the gums, poor wound healing and eventually, death. Although the exact mechanism wasn’t understood at the time, he encouraged British sailors to pack lemons and limes with them on long expeditions. Today, most people are aware that it was the vitamin C in citrus fruit that helped prevent and treat scurvy, but the concept of “vitamins” wasn’t established until 1912. Thanks to decades of nutrition research, we now have nutrient values and vitamin requirement guidelines to aid our dietary choices so we can prevent vitamin or mineral deficiencies and ensure overall good health.

Vitamin Requirements Explained

When and why were these nutrient values guidelines created?  

In the U.S., the original guidelines for vitamin and mineral intakes, referred to as the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), were created in 1941 by the Food and Nutrition Board, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences. These nutrient values were created during World War II as a means to ensure adequate nutrition for civilians and military personnel, but also to help shape food relief efforts in areas where war or economic depression had resulted in malnutrition or starvation.  

How are these guidelines used and updated? 

Since World War II, the RDAs have been used to guide nutrition research, develop dietary guidelines, plan public health programs and create consumer education programs. The RDAs are updated every 5 to 10 years to account for new research. In 1997, the RDAs were broadened by a new set of  nutrient value guidelines referred to as the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), which continue to be used. The DRIs include the following reference values for mineral and vitamin requirements:

  • Estimated Average Requirements (EAR): The EAR establishes a nutrient amount that is expected to meet the nutrition needs of 50% of healthy individuals within a specific age range and sex.

  • Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): Using the EAR, the RDA establishes a nutrient amount that is expected to meet the needs of 97–98% of healthy individuals within a specific age range and sex.

  • Adequate Intake (AI): An AI amount is set when there isn’t enough research to establish an EAR or RDA for a specific nutrient. Based on the research available, it establishes a nutrient amount that is expected to meet or exceed the needs of all members of a healthy population.

  • Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): This establishes a nutrient amount that should not be exceeded on a daily basis otherwise negative health effects may result. 

What are the numbers listed on a nutrition facts label?

On a nutrition facts label, you will see the actual amount of various nutrients (e.g. 470mg of potassium). You will also see a % Daily Value, which reflects how much of a nutrient that food serving provides as a percent of total daily needs based on a 2,000 calorie diet. These nutrition facts labels are based on outdated RDAs from 1968. This was supposed to change in 2016 when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published new regulations that require food companies to update their labels to reflect the current RDAs. However, the deadline for these changes was extended to 2020/2021, and with the current COVID-19 pandemic, it’s unclear if the FDA will hold food manufacturers accountable.

How are these nutrient values determined?

The DRIs nutrient are established using various kinds of research, including the following types of studies: 

  • Studies looking at people with certain nutrient deficiencies, which are then corrected with measured amounts of the specific nutrient

  • Nutrient balance studies that measure nutrient status in relation to nutrient intake

  • Biochemical measurements of tissue saturation or adequacy of molecular function in relation to nutrient intake

  • Nutrient intakes of apparently healthy people

  • Observational studies of nutrient status in populations in relation to intake 

Establishing these guidelines is a difficult task. Nutrient need can vary greatly based on age, sex, pregnancy status and a long list of other lifestyle behaviors. The guidelines account for some of these factors, but there’s ongoing discussion regarding what optimal intake levels actually are, which is why nutrient recommendations sometimes vary from country to country or between different public health organizations.   

How can I access these mineral and vitamin requirement guidelines? 

The U.S. nutrient values guidelines are available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture library  and also through the National Institutes of Health website.  These are good resources if you’re looking for a deep review of the guidelines, but most people consuming a well-balanced diet centered on whole plant-based food are likely meeting most of their nutrition requirements. Keep in mind, the RDAs are set to meet the needs of 97–98% of the population, so they tend to err on the side of caution and set them on the higher end of what the majority of people actually need. With that being said, there are a few nutrients that may need a little more consideration which is covered in the post: What You Need to Thrive on a Plant-Based Diet.

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References:

  1. Suzanne P Murphy, Allison A Yates, Stephanie A Atkinson, Susan I Barr, Johanna Dwyer, History of Nutrition: The Long Road Leading to the Dietary Reference Intakes for the United States and Canada, Advances in Nutrition, Volume 7, Issue 1, January 2016, Pages 157–168, https://doi.org/10.3945/an.115.010322
  2. Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition (1989)
  3. S. Department of Agriculture https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/what-are-recommended-dietary-allowances-rdas-and-dietary-reference-intakes-dris
  4. National Institutes of Health https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Dietary_Reference_Intakes.aspx

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