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Iron

US Daily Value for adults: 18 mg · unit on labels: mg

Reference intakes

Value	United States	China	European Union
Label reference valueBasis of the % on labels, fixed by each regulation; not a recommended intake	18 mgDV · Adults and children 4+¹	15 mgNRV³	14 mgNRV⁵
Recommended intake, adults	8 mg (men); 18 mg (women 19–50), 8 mg (women 51+)RDA · Adults 19+²	12 mg (men); 18 mg (women 18–49; women 50–64 still menstruating), 10 mg (women 50–64 postmenopausal; women 65+)RNI · Adults 18+⁴	11 mg (men, women 40+), 16 mg (women 18–39)PRI⁶
Upper intake level	45 mgUL · Adults 19+²	42 mgUL · Adults 18+⁴	No UL derived; safe level of intake 40 mgUL⁷

FDA, 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv), Daily Values for adults and children 4 years and older
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Iron fact sheet for health professionals (2025)
GB 28050-2011 General rules for nutrition labelling of prepackaged foods, Appendix A nutrient reference values (NRV); value unchanged in GB 28050-2025, Appendix A (published 16 March 2025, in force 16 March 2027) (2025)
Chinese Nutrition Society, Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs 2023) (2023)
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII Part A, nutrient reference values (consolidated text) (2011)
EFSA NDA Panel, Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for iron (2015)
EFSA NDA Panel, Scientific opinion on the tolerable upper intake level for iron (2024)

Label values (DV, NRV) are the reference points behind the percentages on labels. Recommended intakes and upper levels are quoted from the bodies named; they vary by age, sex and life stage, and they are not advice.