This volume is the newest release in the authoritative series issued by the National Academy of Sciences on dietary reference intakes (DRIs). This series provides recommended intakes, such as Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), for use in planning nutritionally adequate diets for individuals based on age and gender. In addition, a new reference intake, the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), has also been established to assist an individual in knowing how much is "too much" of a nutrient.

Based on the Institute of Medicine's review of the scientific literature regarding dietary micronutrients, recommendations have been formulated regarding vitamins A and K, iron, iodine, chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, zinc, and other potentially beneficial trace elements such as boron to determine the roles, if any, they play in health. The book also:

• Reviews selected components of food that may influence the bioavailability of these compounds.
• Develops estimates of dietary intake of these compounds that are compatible with good nutrition throughout the life span and that may decrease risk of chronic disease where data indicate they play a role.
• Determines Tolerable Upper Intake levels for each nutrient reviewed where adequate scientific data are available in specific population subgroups.
• Identifies research needed to improve knowledge of the role of these micronutrients in human health.

This book will be important to professionals in nutrition research and education.

Contents

• THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
• PANEL ON MICRONUTRIENTS
• SUBCOMMITTEE ON UPPER REFERENCE LEVELS OF NUTRIENTS
• SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERPRETATION AND USES OF DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES
• STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE SCIENTIFIC EVALUATION OF DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES
• FOOD AND NUTRITION BOARD
• Preface
• Reviewers
• Summary
• 1. Introduction to Dietary Reference Intakes
  • WHAT ARE DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES?
  • CATEGORIES OF DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES
  • PARAMETERS FOR DIETARY REFERENCE INTAKES
  • SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 2. Overview and Methods
  • METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
  • ESTIMATES OF NUTRIENT INTAKE
  • DIETARY INTAKES IN THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA
  • SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 3. A Model for the Development of Tolerable Upper Intake Levels
  • BACKGROUND
  • A MODEL FOR THE DERIVATION OF TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RISK ASSESSMENT AND FOOD SAFETY
  • APPLICATION OF THE RISK ASSESSMENT MODEL TO NUTRIENTS
  • STEPS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVEL
  • INTAKE ASSESSMENT
  • RISK CHARACTERIZATION
  • REFERENCES
• 4. Vitamin A
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR VITAMIN A
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE VITAMIN A REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF VITAMIN A
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VITAMIN A
  • REFERENCES
• 5. Vitamin K
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR VITAMIN K
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE VITAMIN K REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF VITAMIN K
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VITAMIN K
  • REFERENCES
• 6. Chromium
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR CHROMIUM
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHROMIUM REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF CHROMIUM
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHROMIUM
  • REFERENCES
• 7. Copper
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR COPPER
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE COPPER REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF COPPER
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COPPER
  • REFERENCES
• 8. Iodine
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR IODINE
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE IODINE REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF IODINE
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IODINE
  • REFERENCES
• 9. Iron
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR IRON
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE IRON REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF IRON
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IRON
  • REFERENCES
• 10. Manganese
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR MANGANESE
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE MANGANESE REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF MANGANESE
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANGANESE
  • REFERENCES
• 11. Molybdenum
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR MOLYBDENUM
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE MOLYBDENUM REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF MOLYBDENUM
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MOLYBDENUM
  • REFERENCES
• 12. Zinc
  • SUMMARY
  • BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • SELECTION OF INDICATORS FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIREMENT FOR ZINC
  • FACTORS AFFECTING THE ZINC REQUIREMENT
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF ZINC
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ZINC
  • REFERENCES
• 13. Arsenic, Boron, Nickel, Silicon, and Vanadium
  • SUMMARY
  • ARSENIC BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF ARSENIC
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ARSENIC
  • BORON BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF BORON
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BORON
  • NICKEL BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF NICKEL
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NICKEL
  • SILICON BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF SILICON
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SILICON
  • VANADIUM BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • FINDINGS BY LIFE STAGE AND GENDER GROUP
  • INTAKE OF VANADIUM
  • TOLERABLE UPPER INTAKE LEVELS
  • RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VANADIUM
  • REFERENCES
• 14. Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes
  • OVERVIEW
  • ASSESSING NUTRIENT INTAKES OF INDIVIDUALS
  • ASSESSING NUTRIENT INTAKES OF GROUPS
  • PLANNING NUTRIENT INTAKES OF INDIVIDUALS
  • PLANNING NUTRIENT INTAKES OF GROUPS
  • NUTRIENT-SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS
  • SUMMARY
  • REFERENCES
• 15. A Research Agenda
  • APPROACH
  • MAJOR KNOWLEDGE GAPS
  • THE RESEARCH AGENDA
• A Originand Frame work of the Development of Dietary Reference Intakes
• B Acknowledgments
• C Dietary Intake Datafrom the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988–1994
• D Dietary Intake Datafrom the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII), 1994–1996
• E Dietary Intake Datafrom the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Total Diet Study, 1991–1997
• F Canadian Dietary Intake Data, 1990
• G Biochemical Indicators for Iron, Vitamin A, and Iodine from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988–1994
• H Comparison of Vitamin A and Iron Intake and Biochemical Indicators from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), 1988–1994
• I Iron Intakes and Estimated Percentiles of the Distribution of Iron Requirements from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII), 1994–1996
• J Glossary and Acronyms
• K Conversion of Units
• L Options for Dealing with Uncertainties
• M Biographical Sketches of Panel and Subcommittee Members

This project was funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Contract No. 282-96-0033, T03; the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity; Health Canada; the Institute of Medicine; the Dietary Reference Intakes Private Foundation Fund, including the Dannon Institute and the International Life Sciences Institute; and the Dietary Reference Intakes Corporate Donors' Fund. Contributors to the Fund to date include Daiichi Fine Chemicals, Inc., Kemin Foods, L.C., M&M/Mars, Mead Johnson Nutritionals, Nabisco Foods Group, Natural Source Vitamin E Association, Roche Vitamins Inc., U.S. Borax, and Weider Nutritional Group. The opinions or conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the funders.

NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance.