The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) estimates the amount of nutrients needed for good health, but does not consider individual health problems or stress. It is not intended to treat disease, but consuming more nutrients can reduce disease risk. The RDA varies by age, gender, and pregnancy/lactation status.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance, also known as the RDA, is an estimate of the amount of a particular vitamin or nutrient the average person needs on a daily basis. This estimate is provided by the US Food and Nutrition Board. The estimate provided for each nutrient is the amount scientists believe the body needs for the general maintenance of good health. Often people refer to the RDA as the RDA.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance is not intended to provide estimates of nutrient levels needed to treat disease or cure medical conditions. Instead, it is intended to provide a guide that people can use when consuming nutrients for optimal health. For example, a person may consume the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C to protect their overall health.
Some people may consume more of a particular nutrient than the recommended daily allowance suggests in an effort to treat or prevent particular diseases. For example, a person may take a high-dose vitamin C supplement in an effort to lessen respiratory illness or even prevent cancer. There have been many research studies that have shown that eating significant amounts of particular nutrients can reduce a person’s risk of developing a disease or even help alleviate symptoms if a person has been diagnosed with a disease.
The recommended daily allowance does not take into account any health problems or stress that might increase a person’s requirements for a particular nutrient. For example, an individual with a chronic disease may need more than one particular vitamin. Similarly, a person who is not getting enough sleep or is under emotional stress may also need more. These and other factors are not part of the estimate of the recommended dietary allowance. Instead, the estimate is based on amounts scientists believe most healthy people of a particular age group and gender will need daily.
When an individual looks at a recommended daily allowance for a food or supplement, they should be aware that the amount listed will not necessarily meet each person’s needs. A child, for example, may have less need for certain vitamins than an adult or older person. However, this is not always the case, as children may need more nutrients to help their bodies grow and develop. Similarly, each gender may have a different requirement for the same nutrient. In many cases, pregnant and lactating mothers also have a greater need for certain nutrients.
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