Ferritin Blood Test
Reviewed
Ferritin is an iron-storage protein; a blood ferritin result helps assess iron stores but also changes with inflammation and illness.
Preparation and collection
Follow the laboratory's instructions about fasting and collection time; requirements differ when ferritin is ordered with other iron studies. Report iron supplements and medicines, and do not stop them unless instructed.
Understanding this test
Use the reference interval and units printed by the laboratory that performed the test. A result outside that interval is not a diagnosis by itself, and a result inside it does not rule out every condition. Your symptoms, history, medicines, timing, and related tests can change what the result means.
- Inflammation, infection, liver disease, and some cancers can raise ferritin, so a result that is not low does not always exclude iron deficiency.
- Laboratory intervals vary and pregnancy or chronic disease changes interpretation.
What to do next
Follow-up may include CBC, transferrin saturation, serum iron/TIBC, inflammation markers, liver tests, or investigation for blood loss.