Ferritin Serum Blood Test

Knowing whether you have too much ferritin in your blood or not enough can give your doctor clues about your overall iron levels. The more ferritin in your blood, the more stored iron your body has.

The range of normal in most laboratories is 30 to 300 ng/mL (67.4 to 674.1 pmol/L), and the mean is 88 ng/mL (197.7 pmol/L) in men and 49 ng/mL (110.1 pmol/L) in women. Low levels (< 12 ng/mL (27 pmol/L)) are specific for iron deficiency.

If a ferritin test shows higher than normal levels, it could indicate that you have a condition that causes your body to store too much iron. It could also point to liver disease, rheumatoid arthritis, alcohol abuse, hyperthyroidism, and hemochromatosis, a disorder that can lead to cirrhosis, heart disease, and diabetes. Ferritin is an acute phase reactant, and levels are increased in the setting of inflammation.

What is a low ferritin level?

Lower-than-normal serum ferritin levels are seen in iron deficiency. Without enough iron, the body cannot produce sufficient levels of hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen. Iron deficiency anemia is the result. Less than 10 is virtually diagnostic of iron deficiency anemia, while levels between 10 and 20 are suggestive. A lower-than-normal ferritin level can indicate that you have an iron deficiency, which can happen when you don't consume enough iron in your daily diet. Another condition that affects iron levels is anemia, which is when you don't have enough red blood cells for iron to attach to. Low ferritin is known to cause sleep disorders, most notably Restless Leg Syndrome. If your ferritin levels are too low, you may feel fatigued and run down.