Ferritin blood test

A blood sample is needed.

Your health care provider may tell you not to eat anything (to fast) for 12 hours before the test. You may also be told to have the test done in the morning.

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.

The amount of ferritin in the blood (serum ferritin level) is directly related to the amount of iron stored in your body. Iron is needed to make healthy red blood cells. These cells carry oxygen to body tissues. Your provider may recommend this test if you have signs or symptoms of anemia due to low iron. Anemia is a…

The normal value ranges for blood ferritin are: Male: 30 to 400 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) Female: 13 to 150 ng/mL The lower the ferritin level, even within the normal range, the more likely it is that the person does not have enough iron. The number ranges above are common measurements for results of these…

A higher-than-normal ferritin level may be due to: Liver disease due to alcohol abuse An autoimmune disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis Frequent transfusion of red blood cells Too much iron in the body ( hemochromatosis ) A lower-than-normal level of ferritin occurs if you have anemia caused by low iron levels in…

There is little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from one person to another and from one side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others. Risks of having blood drawn are slight, but may include: Excessive bleeding Multiple…

Camaschella C. Disorders of iron homeostasis: iron deficiency and overload. In: Hoffman R, Benz EJ, Silberstein LE, et al, eds. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 37. DeLoughery TG. Microcytic and hypochromic anemias. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil…