mineral

Iron supplements

Half of the 6,910 iron supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 5 mg or less per serving; the middle half list 1.2 mg to 18 mg, and 1 in 29 of the 6,825 with a plausible amount give more than the adult upper limit at the most servings their labels direct (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 291 products whose only supplement ingredient is iron list a median of 27 mg, and 25% of them give more than the upper limit.

How much iron do supplements contain?

The median product lists 5 mg per serving. One in ten lists 0.5 mg or less, one in ten 27 mg or more. The amount printed most often is 18 mg (778 products).

How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?

The FDA Daily Value for iron is 18 mg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 28% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 150%.

The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 45 mg a day (total intake from food, water and supplements). At the most servings their labels direct, 234 of the 6,825 products with a plausible amount (3.4%) give more than that from the supplement alone (what counts as plausible).

The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.

Which forms of iron do labels name?

Ferrous fumarate is the form named most often: 1,280 of the 8,696 iron products (15%), ahead of iron bisglycinate (546, 6%) and ferrous gluconate (228, 3%). A product naming two forms counts in both; the table below gives every form.

• Ferrous fumarate
• Iron bisglycinate
• Ferrous gluconate
• Ferrous sulfate
• Carbonyl iron
• Polysaccharide-iron complex

Which products list the most iron?

On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).

• Trigelsd-F ForteTrigen Laboratories151 mg
• Trigels-F ForteTrigen Laboratories151 mg
• Ferrex-150Major150 mg
• Ferrex 150 Plus CapsulesBreckenridge150 mg
• Ferrex 150Breckenridge Pharmaceutical150 mg
• FEONYX 1 mg/150 mgAmella Pharma150 mg
• Corvite 150Vertical Pharmaceuticals150 mg
• Corvite FeVertical Pharmaceuticals150 mg

Have the amounts changed over the years?

Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 6 mg; those entered in 2025, 4 mg.

In which products and brands?

Brands listing it most: Nature's Plus (162), Nature's Way (73), Core Nutritionals (63), Douglas Laboratories (58), Amazing Grass (55), Bronson (50), Sunwarrior (50), Garden of Life (49), Solgar (47), XYMOGEN (45).

Every product listing iron

8,696 products, A to Z by name (page 113 of 174), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.

• Phyto Greens PowderGenestra Brands2 mg
• Phytoberry Greens Powder Berry FlavorBiophix1.6 mg
• Phytobolic Green Apple TangoChaotic Labz3 mg
• PhytoBurst Nutritional ChewsMannatech1.4 mg
• Phytocal BD'Adamo Personalized Nutrition3.5 mg
• Phytoestrogen HerbalVitanica1.4 mg
• PhytoGanix Tropical Fruit FlavorMetagenics1 mg
• PhytoMatrixMannatech3 mg
• PhytoMulti with Iron TabletsMetagenics18 mg
• Phytomyte Greens BerryF3 Nutrition · off the marketin a blend
• PhytoSoy Double Dutch ChocolateUniversal Nutrition4.4 mg
• PhytoSoy Vanilla Cake MixUniversal Nutrition3.6 mg
• PhytotalityPhysioLogics · off the market3 mg
• Phytotality Daily Greens FormulaPhysioLogics · off the market18 mg
• Phytotality Greens PowderPhysioLogics · off the market3 mg
• Phytotality Greens Powder with Advanced Probiotic FormulaPhysioLogics · off the market4 mg
• Picky Kids Green BlendMaty's0.38 mg
• Pine Pollen CapsulesSurThrivalin a blend
• Pine Pollen PowderSurThrivalin a blend
• Pixie VitesDr. Fuhrman7.5 mg
• Plant Based Protein Chocolate FlavorOnnit7 mg
• Plant Based Protein Vanilla FlavorOnnit6 mg
• Plant CollagenYour Super.com0.2 mg
• Plant Force Liquid IronGaia Herbs10 mg
• Plant Head Men's FormulaGenceutic Naturals5 mg
• Plant Head Original GreensGenceutic Naturals5 mg
• Plant Iron & Organic HerbsGarden of Life MyKind Organics · off the market10 mg
• Plant Iron & Organic Herbs Cranberry-Lime FlavorGarden of Life MyKind Organics10 mg
• Plant Isolate Chocolate HazelnutGNC AMP Advanced Muscle Performance8 mg
• Plant Isolate Strawberry BananaGNC AMP Advanced Muscle Performance7 mg
• Plant Isolate Vanilla CookieGNC AMP Advanced Muscle Performance7 mg
• Plant JYM Chocolate HazelnutJYM Supplement Science5 mg
• Plant JYM Oatmeal CookieJYM Supplement Science5 mg
• Plant JYM TiramisuJYM Supplement Science5 mg
• Plant Man MultivitaminGame Up18 mg
• Plant Perform Rich ChocolatePS ProSupps7 mg
• Plant Protein 21 g BananaSNAPno amount
• Plant Protein 21 g ChocolateSNAPno amount
• Plant Protein 21 g VanillaSNAPno amount
• Plant Protein Chocolateplnt4 mg
• Plant Protein Chocolatec/o4 mg
• Plant Protein ChocolateTerra Origin7 mg
• Plant Protein ChocolateAlani Nu3 mg
• Plant Protein ChocolateAIVIA1.5 mg
• Plant Protein ChocolatePortions Master Vegan1.7 mg
• Plant Protein Chocolate Cake FlavorSwolverine6 mg
• Plant Protein Chocolate Cake Natural FlavorSwolverine6 mg
• Plant Protein Chocolate DrizzleNutraBio6 mg
• Plant Protein Chocolate FlavoredLadder6 mg
• Plant Protein Cinnamon CookiesNutrex Research Natural Series5 mg

Where next?

• Iron capsules
• Iron drops
• Iron gummies
• Iron powder
• Liquid iron
• Vegan iron
• Check an amount of iron
• Labels above the upper limit
• All ingredients