FERRITIN TEST

It is a blood test that helps to know the level of ferritin in your blood. Ferritin is an intracellular protein that stores iron in a non-toxic form and releases it when and wherever required. Thus measuring this test helps to know the amount of iron stored in the body. The level of ferritin blood test if found lower than normal range, it may indicate that your body iron store is also low and suggest that you have iron deficiency type of anaemia. And if the level of ferritin test is found higher than normal range, it may indicate that you have a condition in which too much iron is stored in body such as hemochromatosis.

This stored iron is the buffer stock in cases of iron deficiency. Of this a small amount is in plasma as a carrier protein and the concentration of this is an indirect marker of body iron stores. Ferritin also acts as an acute phase reactant in inflammatory conditions. Ferritin that is not combined with iron is called Apoferritin.

Why is ferritin test prescribed?

The ferritin blood test is usually recommended by your health practitioner -

To diagnose iron deficiency anaemia in case of symptoms like excessive tiredness, weakness, breathlessness, headaches etc
Low levels are seen in:
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Hypothyroidism
- Vitamin C deficiency
- Coeliac disease
To look for excess iron in the body in case of symptoms like joint pain, weakness, weight loss, pain in abdomen etc
High levels are seen in:
- Iron overload conditions like hemochromatosis, hemosiderosis
- Adult onset Stills disease
- Inflammatory conditions like Rheumatoid arthritis
- Some porphyrias
- Leukaemia
- Liver disease

The development of iron deficiency anaemia is a gradual process. In case of iron deficiency, body first uses stored iron (i.e., ferritin) and blood levels of ferritin will begin to decrease. In the early stages of iron-deficiency, blood levels of iron can be normal while stored iron, and therefore ferritin levels, will begin to decrease.

REFERENCE RANGE

ADULT Normal range:

Men	22 to 322 nanogram/millilitre
Women	10 to 291 nanogram/millilitre

PEDIATRIC REFERENCE RANGE (ng/mL)

Newborn	25-200
1 Month	200-600
2-5 Month	50-200
6 month- 15 year	7-140

These values are for reference and may vary from laboratory to laboratory

Serum Ferritin Test in Mangalore

F0025

Daily

No Special Preparation Required

24 Hours

₹650

Parameters

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