Iron—Oral Preparations
Ferrous sulfate: Fer-In-Sol, Slow FE, Slow Iron, and many generics
Ferrous gluconate: Ferate and generics
Ferrous fumarate: Ferretts, Ferrimin 150, and generics
Polysaccharide-iron complex: EZFE 200, Poly-Iron 150, iFerex 150, NovaFerrum, NovaFerrum Pediatric Drops, and many other brands; previously available as Niferex
Oral iron supplements
| A/? | 2 | No | No | No |
| Key |
- Ferrous sulfate (20% elemental Fe):
- Drops and oral solution (Fer-In-Sol and generics; OTC): 75 mg (15 mg Fe)/1 mL (50 mL); may contain 0.2% alcohol and sodium bisulfite
- Oral elixir and liquid (OTC): 220 mg (44 mg Fe)/5 mL (473 mL); may contain 5% alcohol
- Oral syrup (OTC): 300 mg (60 mg Fe)/5 mL
- Tabs (OTC): 325 mg (65 mg Fe)
- Extended release tabs (Slow FE, Slow Iron, and generics; OTC): 142 mg (45 mg Fe), 160 mg (50 mg Fe), 324 mg (65 mg Fe), and 325 mg (65 mg Fe)
- Ferrous gluconate (12% elemental Fe):
- Tabs (Ferate and generics; OTC): 240 mg (27 mg Fe), 324 mg (37.5 mg Fe)
- Ferrous fumarate (33% elemental Fe):
- Tabs (all OTC):
- Generics: 90 mg (29.5 mg Fe), 324 mg (106 mg Fe)
- Ferretts: 325 mg (106 mg Fe)
- Ferrimin 150: 456 mg (150 mg Fe)
- Tabs (all OTC):
- Polysaccharide-iron complex and ferrous bis-glycinate chelate (expressed in mg elemental Fe):
- Caps (OTC): 50 mg (NovaFerrum 50), 150 mg (Poly-Iron 150, iFerex 150, and others), 200 mg (EZFE 200); 150 mg strength may contain 50 mg vitamin C
- Oral liquid (NovaFerrum 125; OTC): 125 mg/5 mL (180 mL); contains sodium benzoate and 100 units cholecalciferol/5 mL
- Oral drops (NovaFerrum Pediatric Drops; OTC): 15 mg/mL (120 mL); contains sodium benzoate
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Citation
Hughes, Helen K., and Lauren K. Kahl, editors. "Iron—Oral Preparations." Harriet Lane Handbook, 23rd ed., Elsevier, 2024. Harriet Lane, www.unboundmedicine.com/harrietlane/view/Harriet_Lane_Handbook/309629/all/Iron.
Iron—Oral Preparations. In: Hughes HKH, Kahl LKL, eds. Harriet Lane Handbook. Elsevier; 2024. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/harrietlane/view/Harriet_Lane_Handbook/309629/all/Iron. Accessed April 24, 2026.
Iron—Oral Preparations. (2024). In Hughes, H. K., & Kahl, L. K. (Eds.), Harriet Lane Handbook (23rd ed.). Elsevier. https://www.unboundmedicine.com/harrietlane/view/Harriet_Lane_Handbook/309629/all/Iron
Iron—Oral Preparations [Internet]. In: Hughes HKH, Kahl LKL, editors. Harriet Lane Handbook. Elsevier; 2024. [cited 2026 April 24]. Available from: https://www.unboundmedicine.com/harrietlane/view/Harriet_Lane_Handbook/309629/all/Iron.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - ELEC
T1 - Iron—Oral Preparations
ID - 309629
ED - Hughes,Helen K,
ED - Kahl,Lauren K,
BT - Harriet Lane Handbook
UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/harrietlane/view/Harriet_Lane_Handbook/309629/all/Iron
PB - Elsevier
ET - 23
DB - Harriet Lane
DP - Unbound Medicine
ER -

Harriet Lane Handbook

