Ferritin blood test
In short
A typical adult ferritin result is 24 to 307 ng/mL for women and 24 to 336 ng/mL for men. A high ferritin most often comes from inflammation, a fatty liver, alcohol or extra weight, not from too much iron. Transferrin saturation, how full the iron carrier is, helps show whether iron itself is high. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
The body's iron-storage protein; its level mirrors your iron reserves.
Ferritin is the protein that holds the body's iron store, and blood levels mirror its size. A low ferritin is the clearest sign that iron stores are running low. Ferritin also rises with inflammation, so an in-range result can hide low iron in someone who is unwell.
Is my Ferritin high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 24–307 | ng/mL |
| Male | 24–336 | ng/mL |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your Ferritin is high
A high ferritin most often comes from inflammation, a fatty liver, alcohol or extra weight, not from too much iron. Transferrin saturation, how full the iron carrier is, helps show whether iron itself is high.
Common reasons
- Inflammation, a recent infection or a flare of arthritis
- Extra fat stored in the liver, often with weight gain or high blood sugar
- Regular alcohol use
- Recent iron infusions, iron supplements or blood transfusions
- An overactive thyroid gland
- Hemochromatosis, an inherited condition that makes the body store too much iron
- Less often: liver disease or some cancers
If your Ferritin is low
A low ferritin is the clearest sign that iron stores are low. It can show up before anemia, a drop in red blood cells, develops.
Common reasons
- Heavy or long menstrual periods
- Not enough iron from food
- Pregnancy, or a recent pregnancy
- Frequent blood donation
- Poor iron absorption, as with celiac disease, stomach surgery or acid-lowering medicines
- Less often: slow, hidden bleeding from the stomach or bowel
What can throw it off
A recent infection, inflammation or alcohol can push ferritin up and mask low iron stores.
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1Could inflammation or a recent illness be affecting my ferritin?
- 2Should an inflammation test like CRP be checked too?
- 3What is the most likely cause in my case?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read Ferritin alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the ferritin blood test?
Ferritin: The body's iron-storage protein; its level mirrors your iron reserves. Ferritin is the protein that holds the body's iron store, and blood levels mirror its size. A low ferritin is the clearest sign that iron stores are running low. Ferritin also rises with inflammation, so an in-range result can hide low iron in someone who is unwell.
What is a normal ferritin level?
For most adults, ferritin is typically 24 to 307 ng/mL for women and 24 to 336 ng/mL for men. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a high ferritin mean?
A high ferritin most often comes from inflammation, a fatty liver, alcohol or extra weight, not from too much iron. Transferrin saturation, how full the iron carrier is, helps show whether iron itself is high. Common reasons include inflammation, a recent infection or a flare of arthritis; extra fat stored in the liver, often with weight gain or high blood sugar; regular alcohol use; and recent iron infusions, iron supplements or blood transfusions. A doctor reads it together with your other results and how you feel.
What does a low ferritin mean?
A low ferritin is the clearest sign that iron stores are low. It can show up before anemia, a drop in red blood cells, develops. Common reasons include heavy or long menstrual periods; not enough iron from food; pregnancy, or a recent pregnancy; and frequent blood donation.
What can affect my ferritin result?
A recent infection, inflammation or alcohol can push ferritin up and mask low iron stores.
What should I ask my doctor about my ferritin?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: Could inflammation or a recent illness be affecting my ferritin? Should an inflammation test like CRP be checked too? What is the most likely cause in my case?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
Vita: Health Coach on the App StoreSources
- ABIM — Laboratory test reference ranges (January 2026)
- Merck Manual Professional — Iron deficiency anemia
- MedlinePlus — Ferritin blood test
Stuck on a word? See the medical words. How we choose our sources. More about Vita Health Coach.