Iron deficiency is diagnosed when ferritin is <30μg/L in adults and < 20μg/L in children. When ferritin is not elevated as an acute phase reactant, a value >30μg/L is normal.
Assessment of serum ferritin
The normal range is 25-155 microgram/L in menstruating adult females, and 40-260 microgram/L in adult males.
Hemoglobin. Lower than normal hemoglobin levels indicate anemia. The normal hemoglobin range is generally defined as 13.2 to 16.6 grams (g) of hemoglobin per deciliter (dL) of blood for men and 11.6 to 15 g/dL for women.
If serum ferritin falls below 30µg/L (micrograms per litre), then iron stores are depleted (stage one or iron depletion). At serum ferritin levels less than about 20µg/L, the tissues and cells are not receiving the iron they need to function correctly (stage two or latent iron deficiency).
For men, a normal level ranges between 14.0 grams per deciliter (gm/dL) and 17.5 gm/dL. For women, a normal level ranges between 12.3 gm/dL and 15.3 gm/dL. A severe low hemoglobin level for men is 13.5 gm/dL or lower.
Amount (µg/L) Low. <12. Borderline low. 12-13.
The range of normal ferritin in most laboratories is 30 ng/mL to 300 ng/mL, and the mean is 49 ng/mL in women. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey describes iron deficiency in women as a low concentration of ferritin (<12 ng/mL). Diagnosis prompts consideration of the cause of IDA (usually, bleeding).
Normal Results
Normal value range is: Iron: 60 to 170 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL), or 10.74 to 30.43 micromoles per liter (micromol/L) Total iron binding capacity (TIBC): 240 to 450 mcg/dL, or 42.96 to 80.55 micromol/L.
Less than 10 is virtually diagnostic of iron deficiency anemia, while levels between 10 and 20 are suggestive. Ferritin is an acute phase reactant, and levels are increased in the setting of inflammation. The serum ferritin level may be in the normal range despite concomitant iron deficiency in this circumstance.
Severe iron deficiency anaemia may increase your risk of developing complications that affect the heart or lungs, such as an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or heart failure, where your heart is unable to pump enough blood around your body at the right pressure.
Low red blood cells – hemoglobin level less than 120 g/L (grams per litre). Low iron level – ferritin under 30 μg/L (micrograms per litre), or under 200 μg/L with iron saturation less than 20%.
The WHO defines low ferritin as levels <15 μg/L for adults and <12 μg/L for children. However, in clinical practice, when ferritin levels dip below 30 μg/L, ID can be ascertained. Ferritin is an acute-phase reactant that is increased in serum during chronic inflammation.
Iron-Rich Foods
Heme iron is found in meat, fish and poultry. It is the form of iron that is most readily absorbed by your body. You absorb up to 30 percent of the heme iron that you consume. Eating meat generally boosts your iron levels far more than eating non-heme iron.
Low levels of ferritin less than 15 μg/ml are diagnostic of iron deficiency. Levels higher than 40 μg/ml in a healthy person are considered optimal.
Many laboratories consider serum ferritin levels greater than 200 ng/mL in women and greater than 300 ng/mL in men to be abnormal.
– It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks of taking regular iron supplements before your symptoms start to improve. – You may need to keep taking iron for several months to build up your iron reserves and keep your anemia from returning. Take your pills for as long as your doctor recommends, even if your symptoms have improved.
You may also find that low iron causes weight gain. There are a couple of reasons for this; firstly, your energy levels are low and so your exercise levels reduce; secondly, iron is essential for thyroid function, and an underactive thyroid will lead to weight gain.
Decreased ability to absorb iron, which can be due to certain health conditions (Celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, H. pylori infection) or weight loss surgery. Low-dietary iron intake, though this is rare in the U.S. Chronic bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.
The normal range for men is 13.5 to 17.5g/dL. For women, the normal range is 12.0 to 15.5g/dL. African American men and women will have a normal range that varies by 0.7g/dL at the low end of the range.
Your body relies on iron to make hemoglobin, so when iron is low, you can become anemic. Your cells don't receive enough oxygen, and you feel tired. “The most frequent symptom of iron-deficiency anemia is fatigue,” says Kathryn Boling, MD, a family doctor at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
About 25% of iron deficient subjects have a serum ferritin in the range of 16–30 µg/l. some argue that levels below 40–45 µg/l represent a state of iron shortage and should be actively treated.
If you're iron deficient, it simply means your body has a low iron count. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. In fact, it is estimated that up to 25% of the world's population suffers from low iron.