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Ferritinng/mL
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron. The level in your blood is commonly used as an estimate of how much iron your body has in reserve.
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What Ferritin measures
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron. The level in your blood is commonly used as an estimate of how much iron your body has in reserve.
If your Ferritin is low
Ferritin below the reference range is commonly associated with low iron stores, which can develop before other blood counts change.
Commonly associated with
- Low dietary iron
- Heavy menstrual periods
- Blood loss
- Reduced iron absorption
If your Ferritin is high
Ferritin above the reference range can reflect higher iron stores, but ferritin also rises during inflammation or illness, so it is often interpreted alongside other tests.
Commonly associated with
- Recent illness or inflammation
- Liver conditions
- Iron overload (hemochromatosis)
- Regular alcohol use
Typical reference range
| Group | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Women | 15 – 150 ng/mL |
| Men | 30 – 400 ng/mL |
Typical adult values used by many US labs. Your own report prints the range your lab validated for its method, and that range is the one that counts. Labwise always uses the printed range first.
If it is within range
Your ferritin is within the reference range printed by your lab, which is commonly read as typical iron stores.
Also listed as
Ferritin, Serum, Ferritin (Serum)
Related tests
This page is general information about what a laboratory test measures and what results outside a reference range are commonly associated with. It is not medical advice, does not diagnose any condition and does not replace your clinician. Discuss your results with your healthcare provider.