Vitamin K: Intake

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 (Guidance Level) of the Expert Panel for Vitamins and Minerals (EVM) 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, lifelong from all sources (food and supplements).

Estimated values for adequate intake

Age Vitamin K
µg/day Guidance Levels of EVMa, b (µg)
m w
Infants
0 to under 4 months 4 – –
4 to under 12 months 10 – –
Children
1 to under 4 years 15 270
4 to under 7 years 20 370
7 to under 10 years 30 500
10 to under 13 years 40 670
13 to under 15 years 50 670
Adolescents and adults
15 to under 19 years 70 60 870
19 to under 25 years 70 60 1.000
25 to under 51 years 70 60 1.000
51 to under 65 years 80 65 1.000
65 years and older 80 65 1.000
Pregnant 60 – –
Breastfeeding 60 – –

aGuidance level (guideline value for a safe total daily intake) of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals (EVM).

bGuidance level applies to additional intake from food supplements.

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.

Vitamin Name NRV
Vitamin K Phylloquinone 75 µg

Caution. An NRV is not an indication of maximum amounts and upper limits – see above under “Guidance Level”. NRV values also do not take into account gender and age – see above under Recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) e. V..