What Is a Ferritin Test?

A ferritin test measures the amount of iron in your blood. A doctor might order this test for a number of reasons. You do not need to do anything special to prepare for this test, according to WebMD, but you might need to refrain from taking certain medications that could interfere with the test. Your doctor will advise you about this.

What is Ferritin

• According to the Mayo Clinic, ferritin is a cell protein that stores iron. Measuring ferritin levels can determine the amount of iron in your body

Purpose

• A ferritin test can check for excess iron levels, inflammation, possible causes of anemia (decreased red blood cell production) and to gauge the effectiveness of treatments to normalize iron levels, according to WebMD.

Test

• The actual test is simple. Your doctor will draw a blood sample from a vein in your arm. You might experience bruising at the injection site.

Levels

• Normal ferritin levels range from 24 to 336 nanograms per liter for men and 11 to 307 nanograms per liter for women, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Results

• Low-iron levels indicate an iron deficiency and your doctor will usually order additional testing to confirm iron-deficiency anemia. High levels can indicate a host of conditions and you might receive further testing to confirm a diagnosis. High levels can indicate iron overload (hemochromatosis), liver disease, inflammatory conditions, leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, porphyria, hyperthyroidism and type 2 diabetes.