Ferritin
WHO: a low level means depleted stores (fatigue, reduced performance); during inflammation it is falsely elevated.
| Rating | Range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Talk to a doctor | below 15 µg/L | |
| Worth improving | 15 – 30 µg/L | |
| Good | 30 – 200 µg/L | Iron stores within range. |
| Worth improving | 200 µg/L and above |
This marker also has 2 age- or sex-specific range sets in the app — the table shows the general one.
Why it matters
WHO: a low level means depleted stores (fatigue, reduced performance); during inflammation it is falsely elevated.
If it’s low
Low ferritin means depleted iron stores — often even before anemia develops. It shows up as fatigue, reduced performance, sometimes hair loss. It is essential to find the cause of the loss.
If it’s high
High ferritin is less clear-cut: it is often the result of inflammation (ferritin is also an inflammatory marker), but can be iron overload.
What to do
Low: iron from food + vitamin C; find the cause of the loss. High: do NOT add iron — check for inflammation and, if needed, the liver.
Read together with
Hemoglobin · Transferrin saturation · Transferrin · MCV
Part of the guide: Iron & ferritin →
Articles about this marker
- AI blood test analyzer: what it can and cannot do (and how to use ChatGPT safely)Reading your report
- Blood test reference values — table by test for adultsReading your report
- Blood tests before pregnancy: what to check before you conceiveLife stages
- ChatGPT prompt for blood test results: a safe template and what to checkReading your report
- Fatigue: which blood tests explain it — and which don'tSymptom → test
- Ferritin and iron: what the values mean and how to improve themMarker explained
This content is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk to your doctor about your results.
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