What it means
Most of the body's stored iron is held in ferritin, mainly in the liver, spleen and bone marrow, and a small amount circulates in the blood. A low level is the most useful lab sign that iron stores are used up, as in iron deficiency anemia. A high level can mean too much stored iron, but ferritin also rises with inflammation, infection and liver disease.
At a glance
| Normal range | Men 12–300 ng/mL [12–300 µg/L]; women 12–150 ng/mL [12–150 µg/L]. Each lab sets its own range. |
|---|---|
| Also written | serum ferritin |
Related terms
hemoglobin
The iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen, and the blood test that measures it.
anemia
A lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
hematocrit
A blood test that shows what share of the blood's volume is made up of red blood cells, given as a percentage.