To provide a readily sterilizable, water-soluble iron-carbohydrate complex useful for treatment of iron-deficiency anemia, a method for producing the same, and a medicament containing the same.

The water-soluble iron-carbohydrate complex is obtained from an aqueous iron (III)-salt solution and an aqueous solution of the product obtained by oxidizing one or several maltodextrins with an aqueous hypochlorite solution at an alkaline pH value. The dextrose equivalent of the maltodextrin ranges from 5 to 20 if a single maltodextrin is used, while the dextrose equivalent of the mixture of several maltodextrins ranges from 5 to 20 and the dextrose equivalent of each individual maltodextrin contained in the mixture ranges from 2 to 40 if a mixture of several maltodextrins is used. Also disclosed are a method for producing the complex and medicaments containing the complex. The medicament is formulated for parenteral or oral administration, and is particularly useful for parenteral administration.