# What are my DRI nutrient needs?

Looks up your Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI): the daily RDA or AI for 21 vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrate, fiber and water for your sex, age, and pregnancy or breastfeeding, from the National Academies tables.

- Page: https://www.acalculator.org/health/dri-calculator
- JSON spec: https://www.acalculator.org/health/dri-calculator.json
- Version: fe4a8a56e408

## Default answer

Example with the default inputs (Sex Female, Age 30, Pregnant or breastfeeding Neither): Daily Dietary Reference Intakes for Women 19 to 30.

## Inputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| sex | Sex | Your sex, which picks the table row from age 9. |
| age | Age | Your age in years. |
| stage | Pregnant or breastfeeding | Whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding (women aged 14 to 50). |
| weight | Weight | Optional: your body weight, for the protein RDA in grams per kilogram. |

## Outputs

| Key | Label | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| group | Life-stage group | The DRI table row used. |
| vitaminA | Vitamin A (mcg RAE) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin a a day, in mcg RAE. |
| vitaminC | Vitamin C (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin c a day, in mg. |
| vitaminD | Vitamin D (mcg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin d a day, in mcg. |
| vitaminE | Vitamin E (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin e a day, in mg. |
| vitaminK | Vitamin K (mcg), AI | Adequate Intake of vitamin k a day, in mcg. |
| thiamin | Thiamin (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of thiamin a day, in mg. |
| riboflavin | Riboflavin (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of riboflavin a day, in mg. |
| niacin | Niacin (mg NE) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of niacin a day, in mg NE. |
| vitaminB6 | Vitamin B6 (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin b6 a day, in mg. |
| folate | Folate (mcg DFE) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of folate a day, in mcg DFE. |
| vitaminB12 | Vitamin B12 (mcg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin b12 a day, in mcg. |
| calcium | Calcium (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of calcium a day, in mg. |
| iron | Iron (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of iron a day, in mg. |
| magnesium | Magnesium (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of magnesium a day, in mg. |
| zinc | Zinc (mg) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of zinc a day, in mg. |
| potassium | Potassium (mg), AI | Adequate Intake of potassium a day, in mg. |
| sodium | Sodium (mg), AI | Adequate Intake of sodium a day, in mg. |
| fiber | Fiber (g), AI | Adequate Intake of fiber a day, in g. |
| protein | Protein (g) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of protein a day, in g. |
| carbs | Carbohydrate (g) | Recommended Dietary Allowance of carbohydrate a day, in g. |
| water | Total water (L), AI | Adequate Intake of total water a day, in L. |
| proteinForWeight | Protein for your weight (g) | The protein RDA in grams per kilogram (0.8 adults, 1.1 pregnancy, 1.3 lactation) × your weight. |

## Method

Find the life-stage group from sex, age, and pregnancy or lactation, and read its RDA (or AI) for each nutrient from the National Academies DRI tables; protein for a weight = g/kg RDA × weight.

## Assumptions

- RDAs and AIs are for healthy people; they are daily averages over time, not a target for each day.
- Vitamin K, potassium, sodium, fiber and total water have an Adequate Intake (AI) only.
- Total water counts water from drinks and food.

## Worked examples

1. sex = female, age = 30, stage = none, weight = 60 gives group = Women 19 to 30, iron = 18, calcium = 1,000, folate = 400, fiber = 25, protein = 46, water = 2.7, proteinForWeight = 48. Source: National Academies, DRI summary tables (Appendix J of the 2019 sodium and potassium report), https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25353/chapter/28 (retrieved 2026-10-05).
2. sex = male, age = 72, stage = none, weight = 81.646627 gives group = Men 71 and older, vitaminD = 20, calcium = 1,200, vitaminB6 = 1.7, fiber = 30, proteinForWeight = 65.317301. Source: National Academies, DRI summary tables (Appendix J of the 2019 sodium and potassium report), https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25353/chapter/28 (retrieved 2026-10-05).
3. sex = female, age = 33, stage = lactating, weight = 65 gives group = Lactation 31 to 50, vitaminA = 1,300, vitaminC = 120, iron = 9, carbs = 210, water = 3.8, proteinForWeight = 84.5. Source: National Academies, DRI summary tables (Appendix J of the 2019 sodium and potassium report), https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25353/chapter/28 (retrieved 2026-10-05); National Academies, Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation (2020), protein RDA 1.1 g/kg/day in pregnancy and 1.3 g/kg/day in lactation, https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25841/chapter/3 (retrieved 2026-10-05).
4. sex = male, age = 6, stage = none gives group = Children 4 to 8, vitaminC = 25, calcium = 1,000, protein = 19, water = 1.7. Source: National Academies, DRI summary tables (Appendix J of the 2019 sodium and potassium report), https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25353/chapter/28 (retrieved 2026-10-05).

## FAQ

### What are Dietary Reference Intakes?

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are the nutrient reference values set by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine for the United States and Canada. They include the RDA, the AI, the Estimated Average Requirement and the Tolerable Upper Intake Level.

### What is the difference between an RDA and an AI?

An RDA is the daily intake that meets the needs of nearly all (97 to 98%) healthy people in a group. When there is not enough evidence to set an RDA, an AI is set instead: an intake assumed to be adequate. On this page, vitamin K, potassium, sodium, fiber and total water are AIs.

### How much protein do I need a day?

Adults need 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight a day; the tables round this to 56 g for men and 46 g for women at reference weights. In pregnancy the RDA is 1.1 g/kg and in breastfeeding 1.3 g/kg. Type your weight to see grams for you.

### Why does iron drop for women after 50?

Women 19 to 50 need 18 mg of iron a day to replace iron lost in menstrual bleeding. After menopause the RDA falls to 8 mg, the same as men.

### Are DRIs targets for every day?

They are averages over time for healthy people. A day above or below is fine. People with a health condition may need different amounts, so ask a doctor or dietitian.

### Is sodium an amount to reach?

The sodium AI (1,500 mg for adults) is enough for nearly everyone. The National Academies also set a Chronic Disease Risk Reduction level: adults should reduce intake if it is above 2,300 mg a day.

## Sources

- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes summary tables, Appendix J of Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019), retrieved 2026-10-05. https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25353/chapter/28
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Health professional fact sheets (vitamin and mineral RDA and AI tables), retrieved 2026-10-05. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation: Exploring New Evidence (2020), protein RDA 1.1 g/kg/day in pregnancy and 1.3 g/kg/day in lactation, retrieved 2026-10-05. https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/25841/chapter/3