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 44 of 174), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.

• FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Simply1 Peppermint Mocha FlavorArbonne4 mg
• FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Simply1 Strawberry FlavorArbonne4 mg
• FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Simply1 Vanilla FlavorArbonne4 mg
• FeelFit Pea Protein Shake Vanilla FlavorArbonne4 mg
• Fem EssentialsMetagenics10 mg
• Fem PrenatalMetagenics30 mg
• Fem'O'VitaHolin3.46 mg
• Fem-ViteVinco's10 mg
• Femagen Iron PlusGenestra Brands30 mg
• Femagen PMS TabletsGenestra Brands10 mg
• Femagen TabletsGenestra Brands · off the market10 mg
• Femagen TLIGenestra Brands30 mg
• Female EnergyVitarol · off the market6 mg
• Female FertilityNature's Craft18 mg
• Female MultinutrientBioCare15 mg
• Female MultipleSolgar18 mg
• Female Super PackDouglas Laboratories30 mg
• Female TotalityAdvanced Nutrition by Zahler9 mg
• FemOneMetabolic Maintenance25 mg
• FemOne PlusMetabolic Maintenance25 mg
• Femteen SymmetryVitanica12.5 mg
• FEONYX 1 mg/150 mgAmella Pharma150 mg
• FeotronDC27 mg
• Fer-In-SolEnfamil15 mg
• Fer-Iron DropsRugby15 mg
• Fer-iron Liquid Delicious Natural Fruit FlavorRugby15 mg
• Ferate Tabs Elemental Iron 27 mgMajor27 mg
• Fergon Ferrous GluconateBayer27 mg
• FeRiva 21/7Avion Pharmaceuticals75 mg
• Fermented Chlorella with ChlorophyllDr. Mercola0.7 mg
• Fermented Green SupremefoodDivine Health0.8 mg
• Fermented Iron ComplexNew Chapter9 mg
• Fermented Soy PowderNOWno amount
• Fermented Super 30Health Ranger Select0.2 mg
• Feroglobin CapsulesVitabiotics17 mg
• Feroglobin Liquid OriginalVitabiotics14 mg
• FeroSul 220 mgMajor220 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• FeroSul GreenMajor65 mg
• FeroSul RedMajor65 mg
• Ferralet 90Mission Pharmacal90 mg
• FerraPlus 90 TabletsTrigen Laboratories90 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• FerrasorbThorne Research · off the market36 mg
• FerrasorbThorne36 mg
• Ferrets Iron Supplement 325 mgPharmics106 mg
• Ferretts Chewable Iron Supplement 18 mg Natural Lemon-Lime FlavorPharmics18 mg
• Ferretts IPS Iron Supplement Capsules 18 mgPharmics18 mg
• Ferretts IPS Liquid Iron Supplement Black Cherry FlavorPharmics40 mg
• Ferretts IPS Liquid Iron Supplement Strawberry FlavorPharmics · off the market40 mg
• Ferretts Iron SupplementPharmics · off the market106 mg
• Ferrex 150Breckenridge Pharmaceutical150 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