A form of iron
Polysaccharide-iron complex supplements
38 iron products in the NIH label database list iron as polysaccharide-iron complex (under 1% of the 8,696 iron products); their median is 29 mg of iron per serving, against 5 mg across all iron products (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026).
How does polysaccharide-iron complex compare with the other forms?
The median amount of iron per serving in products naming each form; the count in brackets. The amount is the iron the label gives, as printed (the Supplement Facts row normally states the element; a row named as the compound usually gives the compound's weight and is left out of these figures).
Median iron per serving by form
Source: Supplement Facts rows and their forms, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0, current labels.
- Products
- 3834 on the market
- Median iron per serving
- 29 mgall iron products: 5 mg
- Share of iron products
- under 1%38 of 8,696
Is the amount the iron or the whole polysaccharide-iron complex?
A Supplement Facts row normally states the iron itself (a row like "Iron (as polysaccharide-iron complex)"); a row named as the compound (a row like "Polysaccharide-iron complex") usually states the compound's weight, which includes what the iron is bound to and is larger than the iron it supplies. The front of a bottle may print either. Of the 38 products here, 38 give the iron in its own row.
The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level for iron is 45 mg a day; it covers total intake from food, water and supplements. At the most servings their labels direct, 14 of the 38 polysaccharide-iron complex products with a plausible amount (36.8%) give more than that.
Source: Supplement Facts rows of each product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; upper limit: Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes (2011) (what counts as plausible).
What else do these products contain?
| Ingredient | Share of these products | Median here | Median, all products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin C | 66% | 60 mg | 100 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 63% | 12 mcg | 36 mcg |
| Niacin | 61% | 15 mg | 20 mg |
| Riboflavin | 61% | 1.8 mg | 4 mg |
| Thiamin | 61% | 1.6 mg | 5 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 61% | 5 mg | 6 mg |
| Folate | 58% | 1,000 mcg | 400 mcg |
| Magnesium | 50% | 20 mg | 86 mg |
| Zinc | 50% | 18.2 mg | 11 mg |
| Vitamin D | 47% | 15.25 mcg | 15 mcg |
Which products are they?
All 38, ordered by the amount of iron per serving, largest first; an amount that looks like a slip or a compound's weight comes last, marked.
- Ferric X-150Geri-Care150 mg
- Taron ForteTrigen Laboratories150 mg
- Ferrex 150Breckenridge Pharmaceutical150 mg
- Ferrex 150 Plus CapsulesBreckenridge150 mg
- Ferrex-150Major150 mg
- Ferrex 150 Plus CapsulesBreckenridge Pharmaceutical · off the market150 mg
- Folivane-Plus with Ascorbic Acid PrecursorsTrigen Laboratories125 mg
- High Potency Liquid Iron 125 mg Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum125 mg
- Vitafol Fe+Exeltis USA90 mg
- Purple Softgel CapsuleExeltis USA90 mg
- Concept-OBUS Pharmaceutical Corporation85 mg
- Folivane-OB with Ascorbic Acid PrecursorsTrigen Laboratories85 mg
- Marnatal-FMarnel60 mg
- Iron 50 mgNovaFerrum50 mg
- Iron Adult Chewables Orange FlavoredNovaFerrum36 mg
- Concept DHAUS Pharmaceutical Corporation35 mg
- Taron-C DHATrigen Laboratories35 mg
- Select-OBEverett Laboratories29 mg
- Vitafol-OneExeltis USA29 mg
- Select-OB Berry Flavored CapletExeltis USA29 mg
- Vitafol UltraExeltis USA29 mg
- Select-OB+DHAEverett Laboratories29 mg
- Reaphirm Plant Source DHAEverett Laboratories29 mg
- Select-OB +DHAEverett Laboratories29 mg
- Vitafol-UltraEverett Laboratories · off the market29 mg
- Rx Prenatal Vitamin TabletCentrix Pharmaceutical · off the market28 mg
- Bal-Care DHA Essential TabletPruGen Pharmaceuticals27 mg
- Bal-Care DHA TabletPruGen Pharmaceuticals27 mg
- Multivitamin/Multimineral TabletEckson Labs25 mg
- Iron Children's Chewables Orange FlavoredNovaFerrum18 mg
- Multivitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum18 mg
- Liquid Iron Chocolate FlavoredNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops15 mg
- Liquid Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops15 mg
- Liquid Iron Raspberry Grape FlavorNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops · off the market15 mg
- Liquid Iron for Infants & Toddlers 10 mgWindmill Natural Vitamins10 mg
- Multi-Vitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops10 mg
- Multivitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops10 mg
- Organic Iron DropsWellements10 mg
Source: NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; the form each label names for its row. Daily Values: the FDA's Daily Value page.
Which brands make them?
Everett Laboratories (5), NovaFerrum Pediatric Drops (5), Exeltis USA (5), NovaFerrum (5), Trigen Laboratories (4), Breckenridge Pharmaceutical (2), US Pharmaceutical Corporation (2), PruGen Pharmaceuticals (2), Wellements (1), Major (1).