Ferritin

Overview:

Ferritin is the protein your body stores iron in, and the amount circulating in blood broadly reflects how much iron is held in reserve. Because stores fall before hemoglobin does, a low ferritin can identify iron deficiency before anemia develops, which is why it is usually the first test used. The complication is that ferritin also rises with inflammation, infection, liver disease and some cancers, so a normal or high result does not always mean iron stores are adequate. For that reason it is often interpreted alongside a marker of inflammation such as CRP.

Categories:

Blood, Vitamins & Nutrients, Inflammation

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker