The intake recommendations (D-A-CH reference values) of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) presented below are aimed at healthy people of normal weight. They do not refer to the supply of sick and convalescent people. Individual requirements may therefore be higher than the DGE recommendations (e.g. due to diet, consumption of stimulants, long-term medication, etc.).
Furthermore, you will find the safe daily maximum amount (Tolerable Upper Intake Level) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA/SCF) in the table on the right. This value reflects the safe maximum amount of a micronutrient (vital substance) that does not cause any side effects when taken daily from all sources (food and supplements) for a lifetime.
Recommended intake
| Age | Niacin | ||
| mg-equivalentaTag | Tolerable Upper Intake Level of SCFf, g (mg). | ||
| m | w | ||
| Infants | |||
| 0 to under 4 monthsb | 2 | – – | |
| 4 to under 12 monthc | 5 | – – | |
| Children and teenagersc | |||
| 1 to under 4 years | 8 | 150 | |
| 4 to under 7 years | 9 | 220 | |
| 7 to under 10 years | 11 | 10 | 350 |
| 10 to under 13 years | 13 | 11 | 500 |
| 13 to under 15 years | 15 | 13 | 500 |
| 15 to under 19 years | 17 | 13 | 700 |
| Adultc | |||
| 19 to under 25 years | 16 | 13 | 900 |
| 25 to under 51 years | 15 | 12 | 900 |
| 51 to under 65 years | 15 | 11 | 900 |
| 65 and older | 14 | 11 | 900 |
| Pregnant | |||
| 2nd trimester | 14 | – – | |
| 3rd trimester | 16 | ||
| Breastfeeding tea | 16 | – – | |
a1 mg niacin equivalents = 1 mg niacin = 60 mg tryptophan.
bEstimated value based on preformed niacin.
cBased on age- and sex-specific guideline values for energy intake.
dAccounting for the guideline value for women 19 to under 25 years of age (PAL value 1.4) and allowance of 250 kcal/day during the 2nd trimester and 500 kcal/day during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
eTaking into account the guideline for women 19 to under 25 years (PAL value 1.4) and allowance of 500 kcal/day for exclusive breastfeeding during the first 4 to 6 months.
fTolerable Upper Intake Level (safe total daily intake) of the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF).
applies to nicotinamide
In the course of the standardization of European regulations, valid Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) were issued in the European Union (EU) and made mandatory for nutrition labeling in 1990 in Directive 90/496/EEC. An update of this directive took place in 2008. In 2011, the RDA values were replaced by NRV values (Nutrient Reference Value) in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. The NRV values indicate the amount of vitamins, minerals and trace elements that an average person should consume daily to meet their needs. Caution. An NRV is not an indication of maximum amounts or upper limits – see “Tolerable Upper Intake Level” (UL) above. The NRV values also do not take into account gender and age – see above under Recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) e. V..
| Vitamin | NRV |
| Niacin | 16 mg |
