Do you know that the food we eat has all the necessary vitamins and minerals in it? All these vitamins and minerals have a specific NRV. Thus, NRV stands for nutrient reference value. Well, but what does nutrient reference value mean?

The term may sound complicated, but it’s the new replacement for RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance). We need to know about the nutrient reference value of all the macronutrients and micronutrients that we consume. Let’s know about it in detail.

1. What Does Nutrient Reference Value Mean?

Well, the nutrient reference value is the recommended amount of a certain nutrient a person should consume daily for good health. That includes proper functioning of the body and avoiding any deficiencies.

Health organisations issue these nutrient reference values according to currently available scientific knowledge.

The NRV is different for different people depending on their age, gender, weight, level of activity, and different life stages. It also differs for people living in different climatic conditions. This is because diets and lifestyles differ globally.

For example, the NRV of vitamin D for a man living in Australia will be much different than for someone living in the United Kingdom. This is because people living in Australia have more sun exposure than in the UK. The sun is an important source of vitamin D for healthy bones.

These nutrient reference values are for all macronutrients as well as micronutrients. Macronutrients include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, while micronutrients are minerals and vitamins.

2. What is the Importance of the Nutrient Reference Value?

NRV is important as it states the adequate intake of essential nutrients to meet the needs of a healthy person and prevent deficiency. Understanding your nutrient reference level will help you plan and optimise your diet according to it.

You must have noticed NRVs mentioned on the back of your nutrient and food supplement labels. These food labels list the ingredients and mention the proportion of the nutrient reference value, i.e., NRV%, that they contain.

For example, if it is written Vitamin C 80mg, 100% NRV, then what does the nutrient reference value mean here? It means that the supplement contains the complete NRV, which is 80mg of vitamin C needed daily by our body.

  Doctors or medical practitioners prescribe these supplements when we cannot fulfil the NRV for certain nutrients even after having a balanced diet. This occurs because there is a reduction in nutrient absorption as we age.

For example, in the UK, vitamin B12 deficiency in people under 60 years old is 6%. This vitamin B12 rises to 20% when considering individuals over the age of 60.

3. Who Sets the Nutrient Reference Values?

Well, the European Food Safety Authority, also known as the EFSA, sets them. The government conducts the survey and uses the data to determine the amount of nutrients required in our diet. The European regulation is set for 13 vitamins and 14 minerals.

The point where it gets confusing is that it differs from country to country. However, we certainly have the same nutritional requirements, but environment, lifestyle, and society play an important role.

4. Is There an NRV Upper Safe Limit for Vitamins and Minerals?

As mentioned earlier, the NRV only refers to the minimum amount of certain vitamins and minerals required to avoid any illness. Therefore, there is certainly an upper-safe level of nutrients that we should consume. This is the reason why some supplements exceed nutrient reference values. Let me explain clearly with an example.

The first NRV for vitamin C calculated was the lowest amount needed to prevent scurvy disease. However, most people will need more for optimal health. Humans are the only mammals, including guinea pigs, that cannot manufacture vitamin C and therefore depend on supplements and colourful fruits and vegetables in their diet for it.

5. What is the Safe Upper Level (SUL) of Nutrients?

What does nutrient reference value mean in the context of an upper safe level? As mentioned, NRV is the minimum amount of a particular nutrient required to prevent any deficiencies. There is also a safe upper limit for vitamins and minerals that you should consume to avoid any major health issues because of overconsumption.

Thus, you should ideally consume your micronutrients somewhere in between the NRVs and SULs.

For example, the NRV for vitamin A is 800 mcg, while its SUL value is 1500 mcg. Therefore, your vitamin A consumption should be in between these values. It is best to stay below the safe upper limit in the long term and avoid excess vitamin stacking.

Overall, if we wonder, what does nutrient reference value mean exactly? Then I would say it is the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals that our body requires daily to function properly and without deficiencies.

Just like we know, too much or too little of anything is bad. Thus, we should keep in mind that we do not consume too little or too much of any nutrients and prefer to maintain a balance. As the NRV differs because of many factors, taking supplements and maintaining a balanced diet will certainly help us and keep us going.

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6. FAQs

Q1. Is it safe to exceed the nutrient reference value?

Ans. Yes! It is safe as long as you do not exceed the safe upper limit (SUL) or the guidance level (GL).

Q2. What does nutrient reference value mean in layman’s language?

Ans.  A nutrient reference value is the minimum recommended quantity of a certain nutrient required by the body daily by an average healthy person. A person remains healthy if it gets all the necessary macro- and micronutrients that his or her body needs to perform all its vital roles.

Q3. Is it safe to take multivitamins daily?

Ans.  Yes! It is safe if a doctor has prescribed you a multivitamin. There is no proof that taking multivitamins for years is dangerous. Thus, you can take multivitamins to prevent any deficiency in your body.

Q4. Why do we need more than 100% of NRV?

Ans. There is no need to panic if your food supplement labels list has more or less than 100% You should think of NRV as the minimum guided level.

Last Updated on November 29, 2023 by vandita16