Have you ever heard of this word 'Ferritin'? Maybe a doctor has asked you to take this test. Or maybe you've heard a friend talk about it. Simply put, this ferritin test is a blood test that checks how much iron you have in your body. Iron is something that is essential for our bodies, right? So let's talk about this test in detail today.
Our bodies need iron to make healthy red blood cells. These red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is also important for healthy muscles, bone marrow, and other organs to function properly. Any excess iron in your body is stored inside your cells as ferritin, which is used later. This is mostly stored in your liver and immune system cells.
When your body uses iron, a small amount of ferritin is released from the cells into the blood. That's why the level of ferritin in your blood can give you an idea of how much iron is stored in your body.
Why would a doctor recommend this ferritin test?
Okay, now let's see why a doctor would order this ferritin test. The main reason is to check if you have the right amount of iron in your body. Sometimes doctors do this to check for an illness. That is, if they suspect that you have low iron levels, or if you are showing symptoms related to it, they will order this test. Because both low and high iron levels can cause problems.
In some cases, if you have a condition like Restless Legs Syndrome (which means you just have a strange discomfort in your legs, you constantly feel like moving your legs), or if you have certain liver diseases, you may want to do this ferritin test. Also, if your Complete Blood Count (CBC) shows that your Hemoglobin or Hematocrit values are low, you may want to check this ferritin next.
Sometimes, even though there are no symptoms, doctors use this as a 'screening', a test to detect disease before it occurs. But not for everyone. It is done for people who are at higher risk of developing iron deficiency. For example:
- If your body weight is below the recommended level.
- If you have heavy bleeding during your monthly period.
- If you are pregnant.
- If you have problems absorbing nutrients from food (for example, a condition like Inflammatory Bowel Disease ) or have had certain gastrointestinal (GI) surgical procedures.
What are the symptoms of low iron and low ferritin?
Now let's see what symptoms can occur when the body has low iron, that is, when ferritin is low. We also call this 'iron deficiency anemia' . Imagine if you felt things like this:
- The skin looks paler than usual.
- I just feel tired and unable to do anything.
- Feeling weak .
- It can feel like dizziness .
- When walking briskly or climbing stairs, you feel like you are having trouble breathing (Dyspnea).
- The heart may feel like it is beating fast (tachycardia).
These are some of the main symptoms of iron deficiency.
What are the symptoms of high iron and high ferritin?
Just like having too little iron, having too much iron is also bad. This is called hemochromatosis , or iron overload. It can cause symptoms like:
- Joint pain .
- Heart problems may occur.
- You may lose weight for no reason.
- You may get a stomach ache .
- Body hair may start to fall out .
- Sexual desire may decrease .
- You may feel tired and lifeless all the time.
Who does this Ferritin test?
Usually, this blood draw is done by a specially trained person called a 'Phlebotomist' . That is, someone who is an expert in drawing blood. However, any healthcare worker or nurse who is trained to draw blood can do this. After the blood sample is taken from you, it is sent to a lab. There, a Medical Laboratory Scientist prepares the sample and uses special machines (Analyzers) to perform this test.
Do you need to prepare before the test?
Yes, sometimes your doctor will tell you to not eat or drink anything for 12 hours before the test (just water is fine). We call this 'fasting'. But this is not always necessary. So it's best to ask your doctor or the lab directly. Don't be shy about asking, "Doctor, should I not eat before this test?" If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask your doctor.
What happens when you take the test?
Donating blood is something that many people are familiar with. But let's take a look at what exactly happens:
- You will be seated in a chair. Then the health worker will look at your arms and find an easy vein to draw blood from. Most often, it is on the inside of the elbow.
- Once the vein is found, the area is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
- Then a small needle is inserted into the vein and a blood sample is taken. At this time, you may feel a slight numbness and a slight pain, like being bitten by an ant.
- After inserting the needle, a small amount of blood is collected in a test tube.
- After the amount of blood required for the test is taken, the needle is removed and a piece of cotton or gauze is placed on the site and applied a little pressure to stop the bleeding.
- Then, a small piece of plaster is applied to the area and the job is finished.
It takes less than five minutes to do all this. It's a very quick job.
After the test?
After your blood sample is taken, it will be sent to a lab for testing. Once the report comes back, your doctor will show it to you and explain the details.
Is there a risk with this?
Blood tests are very common. They are essential in medical tests. So there is no big risk from this. You may feel a little sore or blue where the blood was taken. But that will get better soon.
How long does it take for the report to arrive?
Most of the time, you can get your ferritin test report in a day or two . However, in some labs, it can sometimes take a little longer. It can vary from lab to lab.
What's in the report? How do you understand it?
When you get a blood report, that is, a ferritin report, it usually contains details like this:
- The name of the blood test that was done, or what was measured in your blood.
- The result of your blood test, that is, the value.
- The normal range of values for that test (also called the 'reference range').
- Information that shows whether your result is normal, abnormal, low, or high.
What are normal ferritin levels?
This is a bit important. The normal range for ferritin values can vary slightly from lab to lab. When you get your report, it will state what the normal range is for that lab.
But in general, normal ferritin levels are as follows:
- For women : 14.7 to 205.1 nanograms per milliliter (14.7 to 205.1 ng/mL).
- For men : 30.3 to 565.7 nanograms per milliliter (30.3 to 565.7 ng/mL).
If you have any questions about your report, it's definitely a good idea to ask your doctor. Don't even think about asking, "Doctor, is this normal for me?"
What does high ferritin mean?
If your ferritin level is high, one possible cause is a condition called hemochromatosis , which is the accumulation of too much iron in the body.
But this is not the only reason for ferritin to increase. Ferritin is an important marker of inflammation in the body. Therefore, when there is an infection or inflammation in the body, the ferritin value can simply go up.
Other reasons why ferritin may be elevated include:
- Excessive alcohol use (Alcohol use disorder).
- Chronic diseases like Diabetes Mellitus and Autoimmune diseases .
- Some types of cancer , for example, blood cancer (Leukemia or Lymphoma).
- Obesity .
- Increased activity of the thyroid gland (Hyperthyroidism).
- Adult-onset Still's disease .
- Liver diseases , for example , cirrhosis .
- Damage to the spleen, bone marrow, or liver .
What does low ferritin mean?
If your ferritin report is lower than normal, it could mean things like:
- Iron deficiency anemia . This means that your body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. This is the most likely cause of low ferritin.
- Bleeding (most often from the gastrointestinal tract).
- Your body may not be absorbing iron properly from the foods you eat.
If your ferritin level is low, your doctor will likely order a few more blood tests. By comparing this with the report, they can determine exactly how much iron deficiency you have. Other tests include:
- Serum iron .
- Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) .
- Transferrin saturation .
Should I be worried if my ferritin level changes?
Just because your ferritin report is low or high doesn't mean you have a serious illness.
Sometimes, things like your diet and other inflammatory conditions in your body can affect your ferritin levels. Or, there could be a small mistake when taking the blood for the test, taking it to the lab, or performing the test at the lab.
If you get an abnormal result, your doctor will talk to you about it and may do further tests to find out why the value changed.
When should I see a doctor?
If you feel like you have any of the symptoms of iron deficiency or iron overload we discussed earlier, see a doctor as soon as possible.
It's normal to feel a little nervous when you see a change in a report. But remember, whether your ferritin is low or high, it doesn't always mean you have a disease or need to take medication. About one in 20 healthy people may have a report that is outside the normal range. Your doctor will tell you if you need to do any further tests and why the value changed.
The best part is that many conditions caused by iron deficiency can be successfully treated with medication, dietary changes, or other treatments . So don't be afraid to ask your doctor questions. They are there to help you.
The most important things we should take home from this story are:
Okay, so we talked a lot about the Ferritin test today, right?
Simply put, this measures how much iron you have stored in your body . Iron is very important for our bodies.
- This test can detect iron deficiency (anemia) as well as iron overload .
- You may need to fast before the test. Ask your doctor about this.
- Donating blood is simple, quick, and not very risky.
- Don't be afraid of a result that's out of the normal range . Talk to your doctor to find out why.
- If you have symptoms that are caused by changes in iron levels, see a doctor immediately .
Remember, these tests are there to help keep us healthy. So, if a doctor asks you to do this test, be fully informed about it and face it.
` Iron, Ferritin, Blood Test, Anemia, Hemochromatosis, Health, Symptoms
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