Too little or too much iron in your system can cause serious health problems if not treated. A ferritin blood test is used to check your iron levels. It can help your health care provider find out if your body has the right amount of iron to stay healthy.
Symptoms of iron levels that are too high can vary and tend to get worse over time. Symptoms may include:. You may also need this test if you have restless legs syndrome , a condition that may be related to low iron levels.
A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle. After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. This usually takes less than five minutes. Your health care provider may ask you to fast not eat or drink for 12 hours before your test.
The test is usually done in the morning. If you have any questions about how to prepare for your test, talk to your health care provider. There is very little risk to having a blood test. You may have slight pain or bruising at the spot where the needle was put in, but most symptoms go away quickly. Lower than normal ferritin levels may mean you have iron deficiency anemia or another condition related to low iron levels. Iron deficiency anemia is a common type of anemia, a disorder in which your body doesn't make enough red blood cells.
Iron deficiency anemia can cause heart problems, infections, and other health issues. Higher than normal ferritin levels can mean you have too much iron in your body. Pregnant women and people with certain conditions sometimes need extra iron. Iron is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in many bodily functions. Here are 21 iron-rich plant foods for vegetarians and vegans.
Iron is essential for good health, but many people are deficient in it. The foods you eat can influence how much iron your body ends up absorbing. Iron is an essential mineral, but ingesting too much can cause severe harm.
This is a detailed review of the harmful effects of too much iron. When your child stops breastfeeding or switches to solid foods, they might not be eating enough iron-rich foods. This can put them at risk for iron…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Ferritin Level Blood Test. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. What is a ferritin test? Your body relies on iron in red blood cells to carry oxygen to all its cells.
What is ferritin? Purpose of a ferritin test. How is the ferritin test performed? Understanding your ferritin blood test results. Causes of low ferritin levels. Causes of high ferritin levels. Side effects of a ferritin blood test.
Read this next. Medically reviewed by Steve Kim, MD. Signs of Iron Deficiency. Iron deficiency can come from a poor diet or blood loss. Or your body may have trouble absorbing iron from food. It would take a very poor diet for a healthy adult to get a nutritional iron deficiency.
But a low iron level is the most common nutritional deficiency in children. Children need extra iron during times of rapid growth. In adults, low iron levels usually happen because of long-term chronic blood loss. If you have ulcers or tumors in your gut, intestinal bleeding, or very heavy menstrual periods, you could lose more iron than you take in and develop an iron deficiency.
This can also happen if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. High levels of ferritin can damage your joints, heart, liver, and pancreas. Too much iron is most often caused by an inherited disease called hemochromatosis. Many people with this disease never have any symptoms, especially women who lose iron through menstruation. But men and some women slowly build up excess iron over the years.
They may begin to feel joint and belly pain in their 20s or 30s. Heavy alcohol use increases the amount of iron that is absorbed.
Iron poisoning happens when a large amount of iron is taken in all at once. This happens to children who accidentally take too many iron supplements. You may need this test if your healthcare provider thinks that you have low iron levels. Signs and symptoms include:. Children who eat a lot of ice, and toddlers and babies who drink too much whole cow's milk may also get this test. You might also have this test done to check your ferritin level after treatment for iron deficiency.
Serum iron level to measure the iron in the liquid part of your blood. Total iron binding capacity TIBC to measure the amount of transferrin in your blood.
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