Lever
Lifestyle
- Regular moderate exercise
- Avoidance of alcohol
- Stress management
Blutwerte · Marker
Ferritin
Serum Ferritin · Eisenspeicher
Eisen & Anämie
- Einheit:
- ng/mL
Ferritin quantifies the amount of iron stored in the body, reflecting total body iron stores.
Reference Ranges
Reference
11–300ng/mL
11
30
100
300
LowNormalHigh
Reference
Optimal
Unit · ng/mLReference ranges vary by sex; females generally have lower ranges than males.
Overview
Übersicht
Ferritin is a protein complex that stores iron in a non-toxic form and releases it in a controlled fashion. It is found in most tissues as a cytosolic protein and plays a crucial role in iron homeostasis by binding and oxidizing Fe2+ ions. Serum ferritin, the fraction present in the blood, is a widely used biomarker for assessing body iron stores. Clinically, serum ferritin is significant as it helps diagnose iron deficiency and iron overload conditions. Elevated ferritin levels can indicate various conditions, including inflammation, infection, and metabolic disorders, while low levels are typically associated with iron deficiency anemia. In the context of athletic performance and biohacking, maintaining optimal ferritin levels is crucial for ensuring adequate oxygen transport and energy production, as iron is a key component of hemoglobin and myoglobin. However, interpreting ferritin levels can be challenging due to confounding factors such as acute phase reactions, liver disease, and malignancies, which can elevate serum ferritin independently of iron status. Researchers emphasize the importance of considering these factors and using additional tests, such as transferrin saturation, to accurately assess iron status. Fasting is not required for ferritin testing, but it is recommended to perform the test at a consistent time of day to avoid diurnal variations. Overall, while ferritin is a valuable marker for iron status, its interpretation requires careful consideration of the broader clinical context.
Klinische Bedeutung
Elevated ferritin levels can indicate iron overload, inflammation, or liver disease, while low levels suggest iron deficiency anemia. Accurate interpretation requires considering other clinical parameters.
Dynamics
Trend Interpretation
Rising Values
Progressively rising ferritin levels may suggest worsening inflammation or iron overload. Re-test in 4 weeks if outside optimal range.
Falling Values
Progressively falling ferritin levels suggest improving iron deficiency or resolving inflammation.
Re-test Interval
4 weeks if outside optimal range
Etiology
Causes — High & Low
Cause
Elevated Levels
- Inflammation
- Liver disease
- Infection
- Metabolic syndrome
- Hereditary hemochromatosis
Cause
Low Levels
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Chronic blood loss
- Poor dietary intake
- Malabsorption syndromes
- Pregnancy
Protocol
How to Optimize
Lever
Nutrition
- Iron-rich foods like red meat and spinach
- Vitamin C to enhance iron absorption
- Avoidance of tea and coffee with meals
Lever
Supplementation
- Iron supplements
- Vitamin C
- Folate
Note:
Consult a physician before starting iron supplementation, especially if not diagnosed with iron deficiency.
Testing Guidelines
✓Fasting Not Required
✓Not Time-Sensitive
Testing Frequency
Annually for healthy adults, more frequently if managing iron-related conditions.
Interfering Factors
- Recent infection
- Chronic inflammation
- Liver disease
Related Peptides & Hormones
Hepcidin
hormone or peptideCorrelated with
Open Research Questions
Current research suggests that the reference ranges for serum ferritin may lead to underdiagnosis of iron deficiency, particularly in women, as many studies indicate that physiological cutoffs may be higher than current laboratory standards. Researchers have not yet established optimal ferritin targets for various populations or clarified the confounding effects of inflammation and metabolic disorders on ferritin interpretation. Unanswered clinical questions include the precise role of ferritin in disease processes like atherosclerosis and its utility as a predictive biomarker in diverse conditions.
21 Research Publications
475
Total Citations
8
Human/RCT
2.7
Avg. Influence
2025
Latest
Sort
Filter
01Top
#01
Ferritin in atherosclerosis.
ReviewInfluence10.0
135
Researchers found that elevated serum ferritin levels are associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD). They noted that while ferritin is a good indicator of iron stores, its role as a biomarker for CAD and myocardial infarction requires further investigation.
02Top
#02
Integrative clinical and preclinical studies identify FerroTerminator1 as a potent therapeutic drug for MASH.
HumanInfluence1.0
80
Researchers found that patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) have excess hepatic iron, which correlates with disease progression. They identified FerroTerminator1 (FOT1) as a potential therapeutic option that reverses liver injury in MASH models. Additionally, serum ferritin levels may serve as a predictive biomarker for FOT1-based therapy in MASH.
03Top
#03
Diabetes in HFE Hemochromatosis.
ReviewInfluence2.0
60
Researchers reviewed the multifactorial nature of diabetes in individuals with HFE hemochromatosis, noting that elevated serum ferritin levels reflect body iron stores but not diabetes risk. They concluded that routine iron phenotyping in type 2 diabetes patients is not recommended.
04
#04
Evaluation of microcytosis.
Van Vranken Michele · American family physician · 2010
Review
49
Researchers indicated that serum ferritin measurement is crucial in evaluating microcytosis, with low ferritin levels suggesting iron deficiency. They outlined the need for further tests to determine the underlying cause of anemia, particularly in cases of suspected gastrointestinal bleeding.
Key findings
- 01Researchers found that low serum ferritin levels typically indicate iron deficiency.
- 02They observed that gastrointestinal bleeding is a common cause of iron deficiency anemia in adults.
- 03The study highlighted that elevated hemoglobin A2 levels can suggest beta-thalassemia trait.
05
#05
Sex, lies, and iron deficiency: a call to change ferritin reference ranges.
Martens Kylee & DeLoughery Thomas G · Hematology. American Society of Hematology. Education Program · 2023
ReviewInfluence1.0
45
Researchers highlighted that the current ferritin reference ranges may lead to underdiagnosis of iron deficiency in women. They noted that a significant percentage of healthy women may have no marrow iron stores, suggesting that the physiological cutoff for ferritin should be reconsidered to improve diagnosis of iron deficiency.
Key findings
- 01Researchers found that 30%-50% of healthy women may have no iron stores despite normal ferritin levels.
- 02They observed that the current reference ranges for ferritin often lead to underdiagnosis of iron deficiency in women.
- 03The study suggests that a more accurate physiological ferritin cutoff should be around 50 ng/mL.
06
#06
Iron and iron-related proteins in alcohol consumers: cellular and clinical aspects.
Review
24
Researchers reviewed the impact of alcohol consumption on iron and iron-related proteins, noting that alcohol consumers often exhibit dysregulated iron levels. The study highlighted the importance of examining iron parameters for early diagnosis and management of alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). Various alterations in iron-related laboratory values were documented.
07
#07
Hereditary Hyperferritinemia.
Review
20
Researchers discussed hereditary hyperferritinemia, noting that elevated serum ferritin levels can complicate the interpretation of iron status due to various factors like inflammation and metabolic abnormalities. They emphasized the importance of a comprehensive diagnostic strategy to identify the cause of hyperferritinemia, which can be genetic or acquired.
08
#08
Ferritin in glioblastoma.
Human
19
Researchers reported that glioblastoma patients exhibit significantly increased pre-surgical serum ferritin levels. They found an indirect association between ferritin synthesis in glioma tissue and altered serum ferritin levels, suggesting a complex role of ferritin in tumor biology.
09
#09
The origin of ferritin reference intervals: a systematic review.
Truong Judy, et al. · The Lancet. Haematology · 2024
Meta-Analysis
16
Researchers conducted a systematic review to assess ferritin reference intervals in healthy adults, finding that the lower limit of normal (LLN) for ferritin is often set too low, potentially leading to underdiagnosis of iron deficiency. The review analyzed 61 studies and highlighted a median LLN of 8 μg/L for females and 25 μg/L for males. The findings suggest a need for evidence-based clinical decision limits for diagnosing iron deficiency.
Key findings
- 01Researchers observed that the median lower limit of normal ferritin levels was significantly lower than the clinically accepted threshold of 30 μg/L.
- 02Nearly half of the studies reviewed did not screen for patients at risk of iron deficiency, potentially skewing results.
- 03The reference intervals reported in the literature are at high risk of bias due to methodological flaws in the studies.
10
#10
Microcytic anemia.
ReviewInfluence1.0
10
Researchers identified low serum ferritin as the best laboratory parameter for diagnosing iron deficiency in microcytic anemia. They emphasized the need to differentiate between various types of microcytic anemia to avoid unnecessary iron therapy, highlighting the importance of investigating underlying causes of anemia.
Publication Trend
Research publications about Ferritin over time
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