Iron supplements, one of the most popular dietary supplements sold in the U.S., can range in cost from 2 cents to $2 for the same amount of iron, according to ConsumerLab .com, a consumer information organization that evaluates health and nutrition products.

In addition to the cost analysis, ConsumerLab.com conducted laboratory tests and label reviews on iron supplements. In contrast to ConsumerLab.com’s 2008 report on iron supplements — in which 20 percent of selected supplements failed to meet quality standards — all products in the current review contained their listed amounts of iron and did not exceed contamination limits for lead. Among its findings, the organization concluded that the products with the best value for high dose supplements were: 21st Century Iron (65 mg, one tablet, one per day) and Thompson Ideal Iron (50 mg, two tablets, two per day).

The best value for time-release tables were: Ferro-Sequels (one time-release tablet, one per day) and Walgreens Slow Release Iron (one time-release tablet, one per day).

The best value for a moderate dose was: Nature’s Bounty Gentle Iron (one capsule, one per day).

Iron is needed to manufacture hemoglobin, which enables red blood cells to transfer oxygen to the body’s tissues. Severe or prolonged iron deficiency is the leading cause of anemia in the United States, affecting about 5 percent of women and 2 percent of men.

— Anne Aurand, The Bulletin

Source: ConsumerLab.com