Ferritin shows how much iron your body has stored, helping spot low or excess iron.
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron inside your cells. The amount circulating in your blood mirrors how much iron your body has in reserve.
Because of that, ferritin is the single best blood test for spotting low iron stores before they cause anaemia, and for picking up iron overload.
Low ferritin means your iron reserves are running down. This is one of the most common causes of tiredness, hair thinning, and reduced exercise capacity, and it often appears well before haemoglobin drops.
High ferritin can reflect genuine iron overload, but it also rises with inflammation, infection, liver disease, and heavy alcohol use, so a high value is read in context rather than on its own.
Aniva reads your result against research-backed ranges, not just the lab's wide normal. The reference shown below is specific to this biomarker.
| Group | Adult serum range (SI) |
| Women | ~15 to 150 µg/L |
| Men | ~30 to 400 µg/L |
| Iron deficiency likely | below 30 µg/L |
Ranges are guidance only and vary by lab and assay. A value under 30 µg/L is widely used to flag iron deficiency. Read your result against your own lab's interval, in line with DGKL practice.
Ferritin is an acute phase protein, so infection, inflammation, recent illness, and liver damage can push it up and mask iron deficiency. Recent iron supplements or infusions raise it. There is no need to fast.
Best read with transferrin saturation, serum iron, transferrin, and a full blood count. hs-CRP helps tell true iron overload from inflammation.
What do my ferritin results mean? Low usually means low iron stores. High can occur with inflammation, liver problems, or iron overload. Your clinician will review alongside other iron tests.
Do I need to fast for this test? No. Fasting is not required for a standard ferritin test.
What can affect ferritin levels? Recent illness, hard exercise, pregnancy, alcohol use, iron infusions, and high-dose biotin can change results.
How often should I test ferritin? It depends on your symptoms and care plan. Many people recheck after treatment begins or if symptoms change.
How long do results take? Results are usually ready in about 7 days.
What should I discuss with my clinician? Share medications, supplements, menstrual or other bleeding, diet, recent infections, and family history of iron overload.
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