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

• Absolute Wheat Grass Juice PowderCalifornia Academy of Health2 mg
• AcaiThe Vitamin Shoppein a blend
• Acai Berry Blast Protein EnergizerRainbow Light · off the market2 mg
• Acai Berry ClassicGT Genesis Todayin a blend
• Acai OnlyOnly Natural · off the marketin a blend
• AcceleratorBN Baseline Nutritionals · off the market3 mg
• Accell TherapeuticSystemic Formulas10 mg
• Acid-Alkaline Balance Formula One Alkaline Blood (Slow Oxidizers)Douglas Laboratories15 mg
• Activated Sprouted Bio-Fermented BarleySunwarriorin a blend
• ActiveGNC Women's Ultra Mega18 mg
• Active ChocolateGNC Women's Ultra Mega18 mg
• Active Core ComplexJayLab Pro0.7 mg
• Active FEAllegis Pharmaceuticals75 mg
• Active Health TeenRainbow Light · off the market9 mg
• Active Health Teen MultivitaminRainbow Light · off the market9 mg
• Active Kids CompleteOneSource · off the market9 mg
• Active Man's FormulaVitabase5 mg
• Active MCT Oil Powder UnflavoredSunwarrior Sportno amount
• Active Milk ChocolateGNC Women's Ultra Mega18 mg
• Active One Multi with IronSwanson Premium Brand · off the market10 mg
• Active VanillaGNC Women's Ultra Mega18 mg
• Active Vanilla CremeGNC Women's Ultra Mega18 mg
• Active Vanilla FlavorReliv4.5 mg
• Active WomanMet-Rx18 mg
• Active Woman's MultiVitabase18 mg
• Active Women's MultivitaminSuper Nutrition18 mg
• ActiveMVdotFIT5 mg
• ActivEssentials For WomenXYMOGEN · off the market2.5 mg
• ActivJointTrace Minerals Research1 mg
• ActivJoint PlatinumTrace Minerals Research0.9 mg
• ActivJoint PlatinumTrace Minerals0.75 mg
• ActivNutrientsXYMOGEN2.5 mg
• ActivNutrients Chewable Natural Mixed Berry FlavorXYMOGEN3 mg
• ActivNutrietnsXYMOGEN2.5 mg
• ActivNutrtientsXYMOGEN · off the market2.5 mg
• Actra-SX 500 EnergizerBody Basicsin a blend
• ADB5-PlusBiotics Research Corporation0.5 mg
• Added Protection IIIDouglas Laboratories20 mg
• Added Protection III (Without Copper)Douglas Laboratories · off the market20 mg
• ADDtendDouglas Laboratories15 mg
• Adrenal X RestoreXcel Sports Nutrition · off the market8 mg
• Adrenoline Orange IceUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Adult Chewables Natural Cranberry & Raspberry FlavoursQuest · off the market5 mg
• Adult Food-Based MultiIVL Institute For Vibrant Living5 mg
• Adult High Potency Multi-Vitamin Multi-Mineral LiquidGeri-Care9 mg
• Adult MultiNature's Bounty18 mg
• Adult Multi with Iron365 Everyday Value18 mg
• Adult MultivitaminIntelligent Labs5 mg
• Adult One DailyAmazon Elements9 mg
• Adult PlexThompson9 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