Daily Nutrition: Optimal Allowances
Recommended daily allowances (RDAs) are guidelines used to set the standard for daily nutritional amounts required by a healthy person. However, the designated amounts only give us the bare minimum nutritional intake which is required to prevent deficiency diseases such as night blindness, rickets, scurvy and beri beri. They do not account for the amounts need to maintain maximum health efficiency.
Maintaining a Proper Balance is Essential
Scientific studies have now shown that larger doses of vitamins than initially recommended can help our bodies work better; at an optimum level. This is particularly important considering the amount of processed food we consume.A proper balance of vitamins and minerals is essential for the adequate maintenance of metabolism and nutritional balance. Excesses of a single vitamin or mineral can cause similar symptoms as a deficiency of the same. For example, high doses of isolated B vitamins can result in deficiency of other B vitamins.Synergistic actions must also be taken into account. That is to say that some combinations of vitamins taken together greatly increase the overall effect on the body. In order for bioflavanoids, (which prevent bruising and bleeding gums); to work properly they must be taken along with vitamin C.
The following tables show the recommended daily allowances in comparison to suggested optimal nutritional allowances men and women.
Fat-soluble Vitamins
| Nutrient | Men | Women | ||
| RDA | SONA | RDA | SONA | |
| Vitamin A (RE, I RE = I micro gm = 3.33 IU) | 1,000 | 2,000 | 800 | 2,000 |
| Beta-carotene (mg) | N/A | 100 | N/A | 80 |
| Vitamin D (micro gm, 1 microgram = 40 IU) | 5 | 24 | 5 | 24 |
| Vitamin E (IU, 1 IU alpha tocopherol equivalent to I mg alpha tocopherol) | 10 | 800 | 8 | 800 |
| Vitamin K (mcg) | 80 | 80 | 65 | 65 |
Water-soluble Vitamins
| Nutrient | Men | Women | ||
| RDA | SONA | RDA | SONA | |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 60 | 800 | 60 | 1,000 |
| Vitamin B12 (mg) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Folic acid (micro gm) | 200 | 2,000 | 180 | 2,000 |
| Niacin (mg) | 15 | 30 | 15 | 25 |
| Pyridoxine (B6) (mg) | 2 | 25 | 1.6 | 20 |
| Riboflavin (B 2) (mg) | 1.4 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 2 |
| Thiamin (B1) (mg) | 1.2 | 9.2 | 1 | 9 |
Minerals
| Nutrient | Men | Women | ||
| RDA | SONA | RDA | SONA | |
| Boron (mg) | N/A | 2.5 | N/A | 3 |
| Calcium (mg) | 800 | 700 | 800 | 1200 |
| Chromium (micro gm) | 50-200 | 300 | 50-200 | 300 |
| Copper (mg) | 1.5-3 | 1.5-4 | 1.5-3 | 1.5-4 |
| Iodine (micro gm) | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 |
| Iron (mg) | 10 | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 350 | 600 | 280 | 550 |
| Manganese (mg) | 2-5 | 10 | 2-5 | 10 |
| Phosphorous (mg) | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| Potassium (gm) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Selenium (micro gm) | 70 | 250 | 55 | 200 |
| Sodium (mg) | 500 | 400 | 500 | 400 |
| Zinc (mg) | 15 | 20 | 12 | 17 |
- Take supplements at room temperature with cool water. Hot drinks can destroy nutrients; iced drinks slow absorption.
- Don't drink tea or coffee within 15
- Take fat-soluble nutrients (including vitamins A, D and E, all essential fatty acids and co-enzyme Q10), with food. If your dosage involves more than one capsule/tablet a day, split the dose and take one dose with breakfast and one with lunch or an evening meal.
- Most minerals are best taken with food but some, such as zinc, are best taken on an empty stomach and last thing at night.
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