Ferritin: The Iron Marker Your Doctor Might Be Missing

If you're tired and your doctor only checked hemoglobin, you might be missing the bigger picture. Ferritin reveals iron deficiency long before anemia appears.

What Is Ferritin?

Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in your cells. Think of it as your iron savings account - it shows how much iron you have in reserve.

Why Ferritin Matters

• Drops before hemoglobin does
• Explains fatigue when "standard" labs are normal
• Critical for hair health
• Important for thyroid function
• Affects exercise performance

Optimal vs. Normal Levels

Labs often list 12-150 ng/mL as "normal," but:

• Minimum for symptoms: 30 ng/mL
• Optimal for energy: 50-100 ng/mL
• For hair health: >70 ng/mL

Who Should Check Ferritin?

• Women with heavy periods
• Vegetarians and vegans
• Endurance athletes
• Anyone with fatigue
• Those with hair loss
• Pregnant or trying to conceive
• Anyone with restless leg syndrome

When Ferritin Is Elevated

Very high ferritin can indicate:

• Inflammation (ferritin is an acute phase reactant)
• Iron overload (hemochromatosis)
• Liver disease
• Infection

Always interpret ferritin alongside CRP and other iron markers.

References

• Camaschella, C. (2015). Iron-deficiency anemia. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(19), 1832-1843.
• World Health Organization. (2011). Serum ferritin concentrations for the assessment of iron status and iron deficiency in populations. Vitamin and Mineral Nutrition Information System. Geneva: WHO.