Ferritin – role, deficiency, testing of ferritin levels [EXPLAINED]

Proven content

Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in organisms. It is an acute-phase protein – synthesized by the liver, and its concentration in the blood changes if inflammation occurs in the body. The more iron in the human body, the more ferritin.

Ferritin – role in the body

Ferritin is a type of protein found in all cells in our body, incl. spleen, bone marrow, liver and muscles. This protein has a very important role, namely to store iron stores.

The optimal concentration of ferritin in the body is guaranteed by the associated iron ionswhich in turn are responsible for the synthesis of hemoglobin. The more iron in the body, the more ferritin there is. Its concentration changes when inflammation, cancer and liver dysfunction appear in the body, so testing the level of ferritin helps in diagnosis.

Ferritin – symptoms of excess ferritin

Excess ferritin is not directly related to the amount of iron in the body. It should be remembered that high ferritin can also be linked to the development of inflammation in the body, infections and even cancer.

Unfortunately, the symptoms of excess ferritin are not very specific, which is why most people do not associate them with an increase in ferritin. That is why it is worth doing preventive examinations regularly, because it is the only way to monitor our health. These symptoms include:

1. constipation
2. flatulence
3. deterioration of libido.
4. general weakness
5. arthralgia.

Check it out: Is it still weakness or is it already anemia?

Ferritin – symptoms of ferritin deficiency

Ferritin deficiency is directly related to iron deficiency. There are many symptoms of low ferritin, which are indications for blood tests. These are:

1. weak immunity,
2. problems with concentrating,
3. brittle nails and split ends,
4. pale skin,
5. dry skin
6. hair loss,
7. mood swings,
8. faster heart beat,
9. changes on the mucosa of the tongue.

Ferritin deficiency is most often the result of improper eating habits, i.e. a poorly balanced diet. This is especially true for people who lose weight on their own or go on a vegetarian or vegan diet. It happens that they do not provide enough nutrients. In addition, low ferritin affects:

1. people taking proton pump inhibitors that reduce iron absorption;
2. people who have lost a lot of blood as a result of, for example, an injury (including women with heavy periods);
3. people suffering from diseases that reduce iron absorption.

Pregnant women should also have their ferritin levels checked. The test is included in the Pregnancy Testing Package – a blood test package available on Medonet Market.

Find out more: Ways to supplement iron

Ferritin level test

The ferritin level is tested by taking blood from a vein in the arm once. The test material is serum. The examined person should be fasting for at least eight hours. You should check with your doctor beforehand about any medications or supplements you are taking that may affect the ferritin test result.

In order to confirm or rule out anemia, it is worth performing a home ferritin test – a cassette test. Ferritin level testing is also part of the test packages available on Medonet Market, incl. Pre-consultation tests with a dietitian – home blood analysis or a package of preventive examinations – blood tests.

Ferritin – indications for examination

We test the ferritin level in the case of:

1. diagnosis of anemia;
2. suspicion of neoplastic disease;
3. suspicion of a chronic inflammatory process;
4. suspicions of haemochromatosis.

Find out more: Everything you need to know about anemia

Ferrytyna — norms

It is worth checking the level of ferritin regularly, as it allows for early detection of various health problems. In this way, you can react early and start treatment. Ferritin values ​​depend on the age and sex of the examined patients.

1. Women: 10-200 μg / l.
2. Men: 15-400 μg / l.

Ferritin standards for children also depend on the age of the child:

1. the norm of ferritin for newborns is 25-200 ng / ml;
2. the norm of ferritin for children from 1 month of age 200-600 ng / ml;
3. the norm of ferritin for children between 2 and 5 months of age is from 50 to 200 ng / ml;
4. ferritin norm for children over 6 months of age from 7 to 140 ng / ml.

Ferritin – Result Interpretation

For the ferritin test, the same reference intervals have not been established because they depend on several factors: gender, age, the method of determination and the studied population. The ferritin test result may vary depending on the laboratory in which it was performed. In any case, the test result should be consulted with a doctor.

It has been assumed that in women the level of ferritin should not exceed 200 mcg / ml, and in men 400 mcg / ml. Anything above indicates high ferritin levels. On the other hand, low ferritin is demonstrated by results below 12 mcg / ml.

Serum ferritin testing it is usually performed in conjunction with testing for other indicators of iron management.

1. Low ferritin levels: indicates a true lack of iron in the body and confirms the diagnosis of deficiency anemia.
2. High ferritin concentration is associated with: haemochromatosis, haemosiderosis, anemia: megaloblastic, aplastic, haemolytic, inflammation, infection, production of ferritin by neoplastic tissues, the release of ferritin from disintegrating cells of various types.

Ferrytyna a anemia

Anemia, also known as anemia, is a medical condition that occurs when the number of red blood cells is low, hemoglobin levels are low, and hematocrit is low. Anemia is diagnosed when the listed hemoglobin values ​​are less than 2 standard deviations from normal. Taking into account the course of anemia, we can distinguish anemia:

1. mild (10 to 12 d / dl)
2. moderate (8 to 9,9 g / dL)
3. heavy (from 6,5 to 7,9 g / dl)
4. life-threatening (less than 6,5 g / dL)

Another classification of anemia takes into account the factors that cause its occurrence.

1. haemorrhagic anemia – occurs as a consequence of acute or chronic blood loss. Acute loss usually occurs as a result of traumatic haemorrhage or massive bleeding, e.g., into the genital tract. In turn, the occurrence of chronic blood loss is associated with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
2. iron deficiency anemia – its cause may be malabsorption syndrome in the gastrointestinal tract or chronic enteritis. Anemia occurs when iron is deficient in the body and is lost with the blood. For this reason, women are most at risk of anemia as iron is lost through the menstrual flow, especially when the bleeding is heavy;
3. anemia of chronic diseases – in the course of many chronic diseases, anemia is observed, which is associated with the inflammatory process and the production of factors regulating the proper functioning of the bone marrow. Anemia is common in: RA, lupus erythematosus, kidney disease, cancer, and gastrointestinal disease;
4. megaloblastic anemia – its occurrence is associated with a deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B12 and enlargement of the red blood cell. Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to impaired synthesis of DNA strands;
5. hemolytic anemia – characterized by premature breakdown of erythrocytes. The breakdown process can take place in the spleen or the liver. Haemolytic anemia is characterized by jaundice, because red blood cells that break down in excess secrete large amounts of hemoglobin, which in the liver is converted into bilirubin, the excess amount of which gives the skin and eyes a yellow shade. This type of anemia can be either congenital or acquired.
6. aplastic anemia – characterized by impaired bone marrow function and a decrease in the number of red blood cells. This type of anemia occurs in people of all ages and can be acquired or congenital. Sometimes it appears suddenly and sometimes it develops gradually (even over several months). In extreme cases, aplastic anemia is fatal. The causes of this type of anemia include: viral infections, contact with benzene, contact with insecticides or herbicides, chemotherapy or radiotherapy, connective tissue diseases, taking certain medications, e.g. antibiotics.

Other causes of anemia:

1. virus HIV the AIDS,
2. inadequate diet,
3. alcoholism,
4. taking certain medications,
5. leukemia, multiple myeloma,
6. vitamin B12 deficiency.

How to increase ferritin levels?

Low ferritin requires decisive action, but it will not bring immediate results. It is very important to combine changes in the diet with properly selected supplementation. Your doctor may also order additional tests to determine the cause of low ferritin.

The fight against ferritin deficiency consists in:

1. diet – this is essential in the fight against ferritin deficiency. It is necessary to introduce into the diet products rich in heme iron, highly digestible from animals. A good source of iron is primarily: eggs, offal (especially liver) and red meat, meat of fatty fish, legumes, dried fruit and whole grain groats. These products should be combined with products rich in vitamin C, which increases the absorption of iron from the diet. However, it is best to give up, among others with coffee and tea. It is also worth avoiding dairy products, because the calcium contained in it inhibits the absorption of iron, as well as fiber, red wine and phytates;
2. supplementation – iron supplementation should be determined by a doctor. These can be both OTC drugs, i.e. over-the-counter drugs, and dietary supplements. It is important that the dose of iron is determined by your doctor.

It happens that despite the measures taken, the doctor decides to conduct additional tests. They have to fix causes of low ferritin levels and allow a broader look at what is happening in the body of a given patient. Most often, doctors order stool tests for occult blood, morphology, iron saturation of transferrin and total iron-binding capacity.

Ferritin – test price

The ferritin level test costs about PLN 20-40. The price, of course, depends on the laboratory in question.

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