What should my ferritin level be?
The normal range for ferritin in your blood serum is: 20 to 250 ng/mL for adult males. 10 to 120 ng/mL for adult females, 18 to 39 years. 12 to 263 ng/mL for females, 40 years and older.
What are the symptoms of high ferritin levels?
Symptoms of excess ferritin include:
- stomach pain.
- heart palpitations or chest pains.
- unexplained weakness.
- joint pain.
- unexplained fatigue.
What is high ferritin?
Higher than normal ferritin levels can mean you have too much iron in your body. Conditions that cause increased iron levels include liver disease, alcohol abuse, and hemochromatosis, a disorder that can lead to cirrhosis, heart disease, and diabetes.
How do you treat high ferritin levels?
Dietary changes
- avoiding supplements that contain iron.
- avoiding supplements that contain vitamin C, as this vitamin increases iron absorption.
- reducing iron-rich and iron-fortified foods.
- avoiding uncooked fish and shellfish.
- limiting alcohol intake, as this can damage the liver.
How do you treat high ferritin?
If a patient has an elevated ferritin level and is not a typical C282Y homozygote, the treatment options include observation, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), liver biopsy, empirical phlebotomy, or voluntary blood donation.
What is a dangerously high ferritin level?
Many laboratories consider serum ferritin levels greater than 200 ng/mL in women and greater than 300 ng/mL in men to be abnormal.
What does it mean when your ferritin level is lower than normal?
If a ferritin test reveals that your blood ferritin level is lower than normal, it indicates your body’s iron stores are low and you have iron deficiency. As a result, you could be anemic. If a ferritin test shows higher than normal levels, it could indicate that you have a condition that causes your body to store too much iron.
Where does the iron in ferritin come from?
Ferritin is a universal intracellular protein that stores iron and releases it in a controlled fashion. The protein is produced by almost all living organisms, including algae, bacteria, higher plants, and animals.
Where can I get a ferritin blood test?
See our safety precautions in response to COVID-19. Request an appointment. A ferritin test measures the amount of ferritin in your blood. Ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron.
Why do red blood cells need ferritin protein?
Ferritin is a protein that stores iron. Red blood cells need iron to form normally and carry oxygen around your body. Other parts of your body, such as your liver, bone marrow, and muscles, also need iron.