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

• Muscle Building Milk Shake Elite Series Decadent ChocolateSix Star Pro Nutrition8 mg
• Muscle Building Milk Shake Elite Series Vanilla CreamSix Star Pro Nutrition4 mg
• Muscle Infusion Black Chocolate MonsterNutrex Research1.8 mg
• Muscle Infusion Black Cookie MadnessNutrex Research1.8 mg
• Muscle Infusion Black Vanilla BeastNutrex Research · off the market6 mg
• Muscle Infusion Black Vanilla VillainNutrex Research1.8 mg
• Muscle Infusion ChocolateNutrex Research2 mg
• Muscle Infusion ChocolateNutrex Research Black Series1 mg
• Muscle Infusion Chocolate Banana CrunchNutrex Research2 mg
• Muscle Infusion Chocolate Banana CrunchNutrex Research Black Series1 mg
• Muscle Infusion Chocolate Peanut Butter CrunchNutrex Research2 mg
• Muscle Infusion Chocolate Peanut Butter CrunchNutrex Research Black Series1 mg
• Muscle Infusion VanillaNutrex Research2 mg
• Muscle Juice Revolution 2600 BananaUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Muscle Juice Revolution 2600 Chocolate CremeUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Muscle Juice Revolution 2600 Cookies N' CremeUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Muscle Juice Revolution 2600 StrawberryUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Muscle Juice Revolution 2600 Vanilla CremeUltimate Nutrition Platinum Series · off the marketin a blend
• Muscle Maker Chocolate ShakeGiant Sports3.4 mg
• Muscle Maker Vanilla ShakeGiant Sports0.5 mg
• Muscle Mass Gainer ChocolateLabradain a blend
• Muscle Matrix MRP Banana CreamNutraBio0.25 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Chocolate MilkshakeNutraBio · off the market0.525 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Strawberry SmoothieNutraBio0.572 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Women's Formula Banana CreamNutraBio0.201 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Women's Formula Chocolate MilkshakeNutraBio0.417 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Women's Formula Creamy VanillaNutraBio0.18 mg
• Muscle Matrix MRP Women's Formula Strawberry SmoothieNutraBio0.201 mg
• Muscle Matrix Protein Chocolate Peanut ButterNutraBio0.5 mg
• Muscle Matrix Protein Cookies & CreamNutraBio0.5 mg
• Muscle Milk Banana Creme ShakeChampBev6 mg
• Muscle Milk Brownie BatterCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk ChocolateCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Chocolate Milk ShakeChampBev8 mg
• Muscle Milk Collegiate Chocolate Milk ShakeCytoSport5 mg
• Muscle Milk Collegiate Vanilla Creme ShakeCytoSport4 mg
• Muscle Milk Cookies 'N' Creme ShakeChampBev4 mg
• Muscle Milk Genuine ChocolateMuscle Milkin a blend
• Muscle Milk Genuine Vanilla CremeMuscle Milkin a blend
• Muscle Milk Light Banana CremeCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Light Cake BatterCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Light Chocolate MilkCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Light Peanut Butter ChocolateCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Light Vanilla CremeCytoSport6 mg
• Muscle Milk Orange CremeCytoSportin a blend
• Muscle Milk Pro Series Intense VanillaMuscle Milkin a blend
• Muscle Milk Pro Series Knockout ChocolateMuscle Milk4 mg
• Muscle Milk Strawberry BananaCytoSportin a blend
• Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme ShakeChampBev4 mg
• Muscle Optimeal Chocolate FlavorJarrow Formulas · off the market4 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