In my recent posts I have been covering the seven macrominerals in depth. I have outlined their health benefits, the negative symptoms of overdose, the adverse effects of deficiency and the best food sources.
Today I am going turn my attentions to macromineral consumption and outline how much of each you should be getting. Below I will be providing the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for each of the seven macrominerals and also the tolerable upper limit for each one.
1) CALCIUM
RDA:- The body’s ability to absorb calcium reduces as you get older which means your RDA for this macromineral increases with age. The RDA for calcium by age group is listed below:
– Children aged 0-6 months = 210mg.
– Children aged 6-12 months = 270mg.
– Children aged 1-3 years = 500mg.
– Children aged 4-8 years = 800mg.
– Children aged 9-18 years = 1300mg.
– Adults aged 19-50 years = 1000mg.
– Adults aged 51 years and over = 1200mg.
– Postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy = 1500mg.
– Pregnant and lactating women (younger than 18 years) = 1300mg.
– Pregnant and lactating women (older than 18 years) = 1000mg.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- It is recommended that you consume a maximum of 3000mg of calcium per day.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Failing to consume the RDA of calcium can lead to high blood pressure, muscle cramps, osteoporosis (reduced bone mineral density) and rickets (softening of the bones in young children).
Overdose Symptoms:- Consuming excessive levels of calcium can cause dehydration, diarrhea, lethargy, nausea, stomach pain and vomiting.
2) CHLORIDE
RDA:- The RDA for chloride increases as you enter adulthood. The list below outlines the RDA for this macromineral by age:
– Children aged 0-6 years old = Between 180mg and 300mg.
– Children aged 7-10 years old = 300mg.
– Adults = 750mg.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- No tolerable upper limit is currently specified.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Not getting enough chloride can cause muscle spasms and weakness. However, this is not always the result of a dietary deficiency. Diuretics, diarrhea, vomiting, sweating and surgery can all cause chloride to be removed from the body.
Overdose Symptoms:- Whilst there is currently no tolerable upper limit on chloride, consuming very high levels of this macromineral can lead to breathing difficulties, fluid retention and high blood pressure.
3) MAGNESIUM
RDA:- The RDA for magnesium is greater for men than it is for women and generally increases with age. The list below outlines the various RDA’s for magnesium by age and gender:
Children:
– Children aged 0-6 months = 30mg.
– Children aged 7-12 months = 75mg.
– Children aged 1-3 years = 80mg.
– Children aged 4-8 years = 130mg.
– Children aged 9-13 years = 240mg.
Men:
– Men aged 14-18 years = 410mg.
– Men aged 19-30 years = 400mg.
– Men aged 31 years and over = 420mg.
Women:
– Women aged 14-18 years = 360mg.
– Women aged 19-30 years = 310mg.
– Women aged 31 years and over = 320mg.
Pregnant Women:
– Pregnant women aged 18 years or younger = 400mg.
– Pregnant women aged 19-30 years = 350mg.
– Pregnant women aged 31 years and over = 360mg.
Lactating Women:
– Lactating women aged 18 years or younger = 360mg.
– Lactating women aged 19-30 years = 310mg.
– Pregnant women aged 31 years and over = 320mg.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- It is recommended that you consume no more than 1000mg of magnesium per day.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Being deficient in magnesium has a number of negative symptoms. These include low calcium and potassium levels in the blood, muscle cramps, nausea, numbness, a poor appetite, a rapid heartbeat, vomiting and weakness. Whilst a magnesium deficiency is usually caused by poor dietary choices it can also be the result of alcohol abuse, diarrhea, diabetes, digestive problems, kidney problems and vomiting causing this macromineral to be removed from the body.
Overdose Symptoms:- Overdosing on magnesium can cause diarrhea, fatigue, muscle weakness, stomach cramps and vomiting.
4) PHOSPHORUS
RDA:- The RDA for phosphorus fluctuates as you age and peaks during your teenage years. The list below details the RDA for phosphorus by age group:
– Children aged 0-6 months = 100mg.
– Children aged 7-12 months = 275mg.
– Children aged 1-3 years = 460mg.
– Children aged 4-8 years = 500mg.
– Children aged 9-18 years = 1250mg.
– Adults aged 19 years and over = 700mg.
– Pregnant or lactating women aged 18 years or under = 1250mg.
– Pregnant or lactating women aged 19 years or over = 700mg.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- It is recommended that you consume a maximum of 4000mg of phosphorus per day.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Not getting enough phosphorus can lead to anemia (a low red blood cell count), confusion, a lack of energy, increased susceptibility to infections, osteomalacia (softening of the bones), a poor appetite and weakness. However, in most cases a deficiency is not caused by poor dietary choices but by other factors such as alcoholism, diabetes or liver disease.
Overdose Symptoms:- Consuming over 4000mg of phosphorus for an extended period can lead to calcification of the soft tissues (a condition where calcium is deposited on the soft tissues making them hard and preventing them from functioning properly), diarrhea and reduced absorption of certain minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc).
5) POTASSIUM
RDA:- Your need for potassium increases as you age. The list below provides the RDA for potassium by age group:
– Children aged 0-6 months = 400mg.
– Children aged 7-12 months = 700mg.
– Children aged 1-3 years = 3.5g.
– Children aged 4-8 years = 3.8g.
– Children aged 9-18 years = 4.5g.
– Adults aged 19 and over = 4.7g.
– Pregnant women = 4.7g.
– Lactating women = 5.1g.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- No tolerable upper limit is currently specified.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Being deficient in potassium can lead to confusion, dry skin, heart disturbances, muscle cramps, muscle weakness and thirst. In most cases a deficiency is caused by factors outside your diet which interfere with potassium absorption such as digestive problems and excessive fluid problems.
Overdose Symptoms:- Getting too much potassium can cause diarrhea, heart attacks, irregular heartbeats, nausea, stomach pains, ulcers and vomiting. However, overdosing is extremely rare and normally only occurs when diseases or infections interfere with the processes in your body that regulate potassium levels.
6) SODIUM
RDA:- The RDA for sodium is 1600mg for most people and 1500mg for people suffering from high blood pressure.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- It is recommended that you consume no more than 2300mg of sodium per day.
Deficiency Symptoms:- A lack of sodium can lead to confusion, headaches, lethargy, muscle twitching and nausea. Since the modern diet is very rich in this macromineral, low levels of sodium in the body often only occur when it is removed from the body as a result of certain diseases and medications, diarrhea, excessive sweating and vomiting.
Overdose Symptoms:- High levels of sodium in the body can lead to fluid retention, increased blood pressure, increased heart disease risk, increased kidney disease risk and swollen hands and legs. Sodium overdose is often caused by poor dietary choices but can also be caused by certain diseases.
7) SULPHUR
RDA:- There is currently no official RDA for sulphur but most sources suggest a daily intake of between 800mg and 1000mg.
Tolerable Upper Limit:- No tolerable upper limit is currently specified.
Deficiency Symptoms:- Not getting enough sulphur can lead to arthritis, circulatory problems, inflammation, muscle pains, nerve disorders, poor hair and nail growth and skin problems. However, sulphur deficiencies are very rare and normally only occur in people following a very low protein diet.
Overdose Symptoms:- There are currently no reported sulphur overdose symptoms.
SUMMARY
I hope this article sheds a little light on the amount of macrominerals you should be eating. If you stick to a healthy balanced diet that contains lots of natural, unprocessed foods you should easily hit the RDA for all seven macrominerals and have no problems with deficiency or overdose.
However, if you are really struggling to consume the proper amounts of any macromineral check out my article on ten super macromineral food choices. This article should give you more than enough options for adding macrominerals to your diet.
Now I want to hear from you guys. Do you currently get the RDA of all seven macrominerals? Do you think you may be under or over consuming any of the seven macrominerals? Let me know by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.