Recommended Dietary Allowances of Minerals and Vitamins for Children
Children should meet their vitamin and mineral requirements primarily through natural food sources, with the specific RDA values varying significantly by age group from infancy through adolescence. 1
Age-Specific RDA Values
Infants (0-12 months)
For infants 0-6 months:
- Vitamin A: 400 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 40 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 400 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 4 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 2.0 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.2 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.3 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 2 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 0.1 mg/day 1
- Folate: 65 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 0.4 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 2 mg/day 1
- Copper: 200 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 15 μg/day 1
For infants 7-12 months:
- Vitamin A: 500 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 50 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 400 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 5 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 2.5 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.3 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.4 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 4 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 0.3 mg/day 1
- Folate: 80 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 0.5 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 3 mg/day 1
- Copper: 220 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 20 μg/day 1
Young Children (1-8 years)
For children 1-3 years:
- Vitamin A: 300 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 15 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 6 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 30 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.5 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.5 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 6 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 0.5 mg/day 1
- Folate: 150 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 0.9 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 3 mg/day 1
- Copper: 340 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 20 μg/day 1
For children 4-8 years:
- Vitamin A: 400 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 25 mg/day 1, 3
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2, 3
- Vitamin E: 7 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 55 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.6 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.6 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 8 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 0.6 mg/day 1
- Folate: 200 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 1.2 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 5 mg/day 1, 3
- Copper: 440 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 30 μg/day 1
Adolescents (9-18 years)
For males 9-13 years:
- Vitamin A: 600 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 45 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 11 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 60 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.9 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.9 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 12 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 1.0 mg/day 1
- Folate: 300 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 1.8 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 8 mg/day 1
- Copper: 700 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 40 μg/day 1
For males 14-18 years:
- Vitamin A: 900 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 75 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 15 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 75 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 1.2 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 1.3 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 16 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 1.3 mg/day 1
- Folate: 400 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 2.4 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 11 mg/day 1
- Copper: 890 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 55 μg/day 1
For females 9-13 years:
- Vitamin A: 600 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 45 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 11 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 60 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 0.9 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 0.9 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 12 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 1.0 mg/day 1
- Folate: 300 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 1.8 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 8 mg/day 1
- Copper: 700 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 40 μg/day 1
For females 14-18 years:
- Vitamin A: 700 μg/day 1
- Vitamin C: 65 mg/day 1
- Vitamin D: 600 IU/day 2
- Vitamin E: 15 mg/day 1
- Vitamin K: 75 μg/day 1
- Thiamin: 1.0 mg/day 1
- Riboflavin: 1.0 mg/day 1
- Niacin: 14 mg/day 1
- Vitamin B6: 1.2 mg/day 1
- Folate: 400 μg/day 1
- Vitamin B12: 2.4 μg/day 1
- Zinc: 9 mg/day 1
- Copper: 890 μg/day 1
- Selenium: 55 μg/day 1
Critical Safety Limits (Tolerable Upper Intake Levels)
Vitamin D upper limits:
- 0-6 months: 1,000 IU/day 2
- 7-12 months: 1,500 IU/day 2
- 1-3 years: 2,500 IU/day 2
- 4-8 years: 3,000 IU/day 2, 3
- 9-18 years: 4,000 IU/day 2
Zinc upper limits:
- 4-8 years: 12 mg/day 3
Vitamin C upper limits:
- 4-8 years: 650 mg/day 3
Vitamin E upper limits:
- 9-18 years: 1,000 mg/day (approximately 1,500 IU/day) 2
Important Clinical Caveats
Excessive intakes are a real concern. Among toddlers taking supplements, 97% exceed the upper limit for vitamin A, 60-68% exceed limits for zinc, and 18% exceed limits for folate. 4 These nutrients are widely used as food fortificants, making excessive intake common even without supplementation. 4
Most healthy children can meet requirements through food alone. Studies show that the prevalence of inadequate intakes is low (<1-2%) for most nutrients when children consume a varied diet. 4 The notable exception is vitamin E, where 65% of non-supplement users have intakes below requirements. 4
Vitamin D requires special attention. Children consuming less than 1 liter of vitamin D-fortified milk daily will likely need supplementation to achieve the target serum 25(OH)D level of >50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL). 2 Fortification of dairy products at the EAR or RDA level results in significantly higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations during winter months. 5
Prioritize whole foods over juice. Fruit juice should be limited to 4-6 ounces daily for children aged 4-6 years, as excessive consumption is associated with diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal distention, and tooth decay. 3 Whole fruits provide fiber and better nutrient profiles. 3
Supplementation should be targeted, not routine. Most multivitamin/mineral supplements for young children contain many nutrients already abundant in children's diets while providing inadequate amounts of nutrients of public health concern—only 56% provide at least half the DV for vitamin D, 4% for calcium, and none for potassium. 6