Not sure how much iron is really in your supplement?
Founder of Clean Green Safe
It's a very common question. Iron labels often lead with the weight of the whole compound rather than the iron itself, which can make products look stronger or weaker than they are. Here's what to look for.
The number that matters
Look for words like “equivalent to iron” or “elemental iron”. That’s the amount your daily target refers to.
For example: “Ferrous fumarate 100 mg” gives about 33 mg of iron.
Our mineral calculator works it out for you from the form on your label.
How much iron each form gives you
- Ferrous fumarate: about 33%
- Dried ferrous sulfate: about 33%
- Ferrous gluconate: about 12%
- Iron bisglycinate and chelates: this varies, so check the label for the iron amount
Daily nutritional targets
- Women 19–50 years: 18 mg
- Women 51 and over: 8 mg
- Men: 8 mg
- During pregnancy: 27 mg
The upper limit is 45 mg a day from all sources.
Three quick checks before you buy
- Find the iron amount, not the compound weight.
- Multiply it by the number of tablets you’ll take each day.
- Look for an AUST L or AUST R number. It shows the product is on the TGA register.
Please keep iron supplements well out of reach of children, because even a small amount can be very harmful to them. It’s a good idea to talk with your GP before starting iron, so they can check whether you need it.
Cassie is a registered pharmacist, a parent and the founder of Clean Green Safe. With a background in Australian supplement regulation across the TGA, FSANZ and NHMRC, she built Clean Green Safe to help people understand what’s really in their supplements, and how it all adds up across everything they take.
How Clean Green Safe can help
Scan your iron supplement or enter its AUST L number, and Clean Green Safe works out how much iron you’re really getting, compares it with your daily target and checks it against the TGA register, so you can have a clearer conversation with your GP or pharmacist.
- STEP 1ScanScan the barcode or enter the AUST L number
- STEP 2CheckWe check it against the TGA register and Australian limits
- STEP 3SeeSee your grade and your daily totals across everything you take
Built by a registered pharmacist · Works in your phone’s browser
Iron reference data
Daily nutritional target
Reference type: RDI. Source: NRV Table 7.
Upper limit
Common forms
- iron (II) glycinate
Basis form: elemental iron
Conversion factors
Reference details
Rated products containing this nutrient
Not medical advice. Reference values from NHMRC / NZ MoH Nutrient Reference Values.