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

• Ferrex 150 Forte Plus CapsulesBreckenridge Pharmaceutical50 mg
• Ferrex 150 Plus CapsulesBreckenridge Pharmaceutical · off the market150 mg
• Ferrex 150 Plus CapsulesBreckenridge150 mg
• Ferrex-150Major150 mg
• Ferric X-150Geri-Care150 mg
• FerritinCardiovascular Research5 mg
• Ferritin Bioavailable Iron 5 mgCardiovascular Research5 mg
• Ferritin High Absorption IronAdvanced Trichology5 mg
• Ferritin+Flora20 mg
• Ferro-CDouglas Laboratories · off the market54 mg
• Ferro-Sequels High Potency Iron SupplementFerro-Sequels65 mg
• Ferrochel Iron ChelateDesigns for Health27 mg
• Ferrochel Iron Chelate 36 mgNutricost · off the market36 mg
• Ferrochel Iron CompletePureFormulas29 mg
• Ferrochel SelectMoss Nutrition27 mg
• Ferrocite TabletsBreckenridge Pharmaceutical106 mg
• FerrofoodSP Standard Process · off the market10 mg
• FerrogenDNA Dynamic Nutritional Associates0.029 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• FerronateHealthSen$e · off the market37.5 mg
• Ferronyl IronDouglas Laboratories54 mg
• Ferronyl TabletsDouglas Laboratories9 mg
• Ferronyl with Vitamin CDouglas Laboratories · off the market54 mg
• FerroSolvenbi45 mg
• Ferrous FumarateBulkSupplements.com18 mg
• Ferrous GluconatePureBulk.com15 mg
• Ferrous GluconateWalgreens27 mg
• Ferrous GluconateGeri-Care · off the market27 mg
• Ferrous GluconateMajor Pharmaceuticals37.5 mg
• Ferrous GluconateMason Natural27 mg
• Ferrous GluconateNature's Blend37.5 mg
• Ferrous GluconateBulkSupplements.com18 mg
• Ferrous Gluconate 240 mgGeri-Care · off the market27 mg
• Ferrous Gluconate 28 mg IronPuritan's Pride28 mg
• Ferrous Gluconate Tablets, USP 324 mgWP Westminster Pharmaceuticals38 mg
• Ferrous SulfateEqualine65 mg
• Ferrous SulfateGeri-Care65 mg
• Ferrous SulfateReliable 1 Laboratories65 mg
• Ferrous SulfatePuritan's Pride28 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 28 mg IronVitamin World28 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mgReliable-1 Laboratories65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mgMarlex Pharmaceuticals65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mgPharbest Pharmaceuticals65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mgPharbest65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 325 mgNature's Blend65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate 65 mgExchange Select · off the market65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate Elemental Iron 65 mgEqualine65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate ElixirRugby44 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate ElixirHi-Tech Pharmacal · off the market220 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• Ferrous Sulfate Enteric-Coated Tablet 325 mgWP Westminster Pharmaceuticals65 mg
• Ferrous Sulfate Enteric-Coated Tablets 324 mgNationwide Pharmaceutical65 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