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

• Multivitamin Prenatal Plus IronGNC Women's18 mg
• Multivitamin Raspberry Naturally FlavoredGummiology1.9 mg
• Multivitamin Tropical CherryEZ Melts · off the market18 mg
• Multivitamin Ultra MegaGNC Women's18 mg
• Multivitamin Watermelon FlavorNaturesPlus Animal Parade5 mg
• Multivitamin with IronWell At Walgreens18 mg
• Multivitamin with IronWalgreens Essentials18 mg
• Multivitamin with IronIsotonix15 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron 45 mgSeeking Health45 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron 45 mgBariatric Fusion45 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Mixed Fruit FlavorVitaWorks Kids2.5 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Natural Fruit FlavorBariMelts18 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavorNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops10 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum Pediatric Drops10 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Raspberry Grape FlavoredNovaFerrum18 mg
• Multivitamin with Iron Supplement Natural Grape FlavorZarbee's Naturals Baby10 mg
• Multivitamin with MineralsNature's Blend7.5 mg
• Multivitamin WomenWell At Walgreens18 mg
• Multivitamin Women 50+Walgreens Essentials8 mg
• Multivitamin Women's 50+ Advancedup&upno amount
• Multivitamin+EnergyMyTrition1.8 mg
• MultiVitamin, Iron and FluorideH2 Pharma10 mg
• Multivitamin/MineralHealthyBodyInc · off the market18 mg
• Multivitamin/Mineral21st Century28 mg
• Multivitamin/Mineral TabletTriCare Prenatal27 mg
• Multivitamin/Multimineralup&up · off the market18 mg
• Multivitamin/MultimineralCVS Pharmacy28 mg
• Multivitamin/MultimineralBocaGreenMD30 mg
• Multivitamin/Multimineral Adults Under 50up&up18 mg
• Multivitamin/Multimineral TabletEckson Labs25 mg
• Multivitamina Para MujeresVidasencia · off the market18 mg
• Multivitamins 1000 mg SoftgelsBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins for Men - with Fish Oil SoftgelsBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins for Men - with Fish Oil Softgels 1000 mgBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins for Women - with Fish Oil SoftgelsBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins For Women - with Fish Oil Softgels 1000 mgBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins SoftgelsBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• Multivitamins with Fish Oil SoftgelsBulkSupplements.com · off the market2.5 mg
• Multivitamins with Fish Oil Softgels 1000 mgBulkSupplements.com2.5 mg
• MultiviteDouglas Laboratories20 mg
• MultiviteEveryday Health8 mg
• MultivitesHerbalife Kids · off the market7.5 mg
• MultivitesHerbalife · off the market7.5 mg
• MultiWomen'sVinco5 mg
• Multminerals Plus BoronBluebonnet · off the market18 mg
• Mum-2-BeHigher Nature5 mg
• Muscle & Weight Gainer ChocolatePrecision Engineeredin a blend
• Muscle & Weight Gainer VanillaPrecision Engineeredin a blend
• Muscle Builder ChocolatePower Blendzin a blend
• Muscle Builder VanillaPower Blendz · off the marketin 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