What it means
Iron travels in the blood bound to transferrin. TIBC shows how much transferrin there is to carry iron. When iron stores are low, the body makes more transferrin, so the TIBC goes up; in iron overload and in anemia of chronic disease it tends to be low. It is read with the serum ironSEER-um EYE-ernA blood test that measures the amount of iron carried in the blood.Full entry and ferritin.
At a glance
| Normal range | About 250–450 mcg/dL [45–80 µmol/L]; ranges vary by lab. |
|---|---|
| Also written | TIBC |
Related terms
anemia
A lower than normal number of red blood cells or amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
ferritin
A protein that stores iron in the body; its blood level shows how much iron is stored.
serum iron
A blood test that measures the amount of iron carried in the blood.