For example, according to Healthline, 19-30 yo men need 400 mg, and women need 310 mg.
So, eg, a 5’ 10 athletic muscular woman has the same requirements as 5’ 0 petite woman, but needs less than, say, a 5’ 5 slender man? Why wouldn’t she need the same amount as a 5’ 10 athletic man?
They did studies to measure blood levels versus health across age and gender, the numbers start about halfway down the page.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK109816/
For other elements: Women have menses so they lose blood and lose iron and typically have calcium deficit causing lower bone density.
Recommended Daily allowances are judged by the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons - They are aimed for \~97-98% of the average citizien to meet their needs, athletes are outlines.
Edit: oh, the constructive downvote, what was wrong about my statement?
RDA’s are NOT minimum nutrient requirements to be met for everyone in order to be healthy. They only mean: If you are of X gender and Y age and ingest Z amount of that nutrient you are almost 100% sure to be ingesting an adequate amount of said nutrient. A 5’5 slender men probably doesn’t NEED all that amount of Mg in the first place, the same can be said for the 5,0 petite woman. that’s even without getting into gender diferences regarding metabolism as someone else already commented about.
It’s a metabolic thing is my understanding. The hormones in our bodies are different and govern the way that nutrients are absorbed by our bodies. Biological sex (not gender) dictates this, as someone pointed out above. It’s also why the standards for alcoholic beverage limits are different for male and female bodies and why bmi is such total BS.
The RDA is not for anyone athletic; it’s the minimum necessary for the average American, of average size, to not have any nutrition based illness.
If you’re taller, you need a bit more than the RDA to not get sick, long term.
If you’re shorter, you probably don’t need quite the RDA, long term.
If you’re athletic, you’d need more of some of it, but more-isn’t-better; too much of some of the nutrients would also make you less healthy.
It is not set by size of LBM because that would require more research and money by the FDA. For them, general is better. This is the same reason that they just put 2000 Kcals as a recommendation and say it may vary based on your needs.
He is XY and she is XX. He and She are different life form with different body structure and needs.
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For example, She can grow a baby(or more) by self and He can not. Mutilate the body parts won’t matter, unless modifying the genetic codes.
Efsa and japanese rda take that into account (350 vs 300 mg for women).link1link2
As a mid-20s male who is quite active, lifts weights, etc, while I go by the recommended protein figures for active people rather than the RDA, I abide by the RDA for vitamins and nutrients (like magnesium).
Does this mean I may need more of certain nutrients like magnesium compared to the average person?