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

• High Potency Prenatal FormulaEqualine28 mg
• High Potency Prenatal Vitamin & Mineral FormulaNature's Truth27 mg
• High Potency Slow Release Iron 45 mgVitamin World45 mg
• High Potency Soft MultipleKAL15 mg
• High Potency Softgel MultiSwanson Premium Brand · off the market15 mg
• High Potency Softgel MultiSwanson15 mg
• High Potency Ultra Freeda with IronFreeda18 mg
• High Potency Ultra One Daily Caps with Beta-CaroteneNatures Plus · off the market10 mg
• High Potency Ultra WomanNature's Bounty Platinum18 mg
• High Potency Vita-Lea WomenShaklee18 mg
• High Protein Hot Cocoa Mix Chocolate PeppermintGHOST2 mg
• High Protein Hot Cocoa Mix Milk ChocolateGHOST2 mg
• High Protein Shake Protein 40 g ChocolateBody Fortress1.7 mg
• High Protein Shake Protein 40 g VanillaBody Fortress0.3 mg
• High Strength Iron 14 mgSimply Supplements44.6 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• High Strength Multivitamin & MineralHigher Nature5 mg
• High-Potency Iron 65 mgMeijer65 mg
• Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin Cluster Dextrin UnflavoredMuscle Feastno amount
• Highly Branched Cyclic Dextrin UnflavoredMuscle Feastno amount
• HisWellthy Nutraceuticalsin a blend
• hiyo Peach Mangohiyono amount
• Home Made Blueberry MuffinAxe & Sledge Supplements4 mg
• Home Made Double Chocolate BrownieAxe & Sledge Supplements3.91 mg
• Home Made Peanut Butter CookieAxe & Sledge Supplements2.77 mg
• Home Made Sweet Potato PieAxe & Sledge Supplements2.7 mg
• HoneytazeGM Germano amount
• Hot CocoaNutraBio Performancein a blend
• HSO Probiotic FormulaGarden of Life Primal Defense2.3 mg
• Hydrate or Die CoconutBUBS Naturals1.5 mg
• Hydrate or Die LemonBUBS Naturals2 mg
• Hydrate or Die OrangeBUBS Naturals2 mg
• Hydrate+ Endurance Electrolyte Drink Natural Lemon-Lime FlavoredShaklee Performance · off the marketin a blend
• Hydration Multiplier Acai BerryLiquid I.V.in a blend
• Hydration Multiplier Lemon LimeLiquid I.V.370 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• Hydro GainerChaotic-Labzin a blend
• Hydro Isolate Peak Milk ChocolateInner Armour Sports Nutritionin a blend
• Hydro Isolate Peak VanillaInner Armour Sports Nutritionin a blend
• Hydro Isolate Protein Lava CakeMRI Performance · off the market0.7 mg
• Hydro Isolate Protein Salted CaramelMRI Performance0.1 mg
• Hydro Isolate Protein Vanilla BeanMRI Performance0.1 mg
• Hydrocil InstantNumark Brandsno amount
• Hydrolyzed Collagen + Probiotics Dark Chocolate FlavorDivine Health1.7 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
• Hydrolyzed Collagen Peptides Dark ChocolateSR Sports Research1.5 mg
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein BananaAmazing Musclein a blend
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein ChocolateAmazing Musclein a blend
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Chocolate FlavorMuscle Feastno amount
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein Cookies & CreamAmazing Musclein a blend
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein StrawberryAmazing Musclein a blend
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein UnflavoredMuscle Feastno amount
• Hydrolyzed Whey Protein VanillaAmazing Musclein a blend

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