Table of contents:
- What is ferritin?
- What is a ferritin check?
- What do you need to know to undergo this test?
- What is the normal ferritin level in the body?
- What if the results are too high or too low?
- High ferritin levels
- Low ferritin levels
- How to deal with abnormal examination results?
- Overcoming high ferritin levels
- 1. Blood reduction
- 2. chelation therapy
- Overcoming low ferritin levels
When doing a blood test, one of the results may show the level of ferritin in your body. Actually, what is ferritin? What does it mean if this substance is too low or high in the body? Check out the following explanation.
What is ferritin?
Ferritin is a protein in the body that binds iron. Most of the iron stored in the body is bound to these proteins. This protein is found in the liver, spleen, skeletal muscle and bone marrow. Only a small amount of this protein is found in the blood.
What is a ferritin check?
The ferritin test or test aims to find out how much iron is stored in your body.
If the ferritin test is low, it means you may be deficient in iron. Conversely, if the results of the ferritin test show a result that is higher than normal levels, it means that too much iron is stored in the body.
The ferritin test can be done to:
- Shows the causes of anemia, especially iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia
- Find out if there is inflammation in the body
- Find out if there is too much iron in the body
- Checking whether the iron treatment that has been done so far gives good results
Your doctor may also recommend this test if you are diagnosed with a disorder that causes the iron in your body to increase too much. This test can also be done to monitor your health condition and plan treatment.
Usually this protein level test is done in conjunction with tests to see your iron level, total iron-binding capacity, or blood cell count.
The ferritin test is usually accompanied by a transferrin test. Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, this examination is done to measure the amount of iron bound to ferritin. Transferrin saturation values greater than 45 percent are considered too high.
What do you need to know to undergo this test?
If you only do this check, you will be able to eat and drink normally before the test. However, if you are also going to have some of the other tests, you may need to fast before the test. Ask a medical officer or doctor for more accurate information.
During the examination process, the health worker will take a blood sample by inserting a needle into a vein in your arm. This is the same as drawing blood from a vein in general.
Later, the blood sample will be taken to the laboratory for analysis. You can return to your normal activities.
What is the normal ferritin level in the body?
Normal levels of ferritin in the body are distinguished by age and sex, namely:
- Men: 18-270 mcg / L
- Female: 18-160 mcg / L
- Children: 7-140 mcg / L
- Infants aged 1-5 months: 50-200 mcg / L
- Newborn: 25-200 mcg / L
Normal levels of these substances as above may be different from normal levels used by the laboratory where you are doing the test. Each laboratory may have a different range of normal levels. Typically, the range for normal levels is listed in the test results your laboratory will provide.
What if the results are too high or too low?
Levels of this iron-binding protein can be higher or even lower than normal. High or low levels of this substance can indicate an impaired iron storage.
High ferritin levels
Ferritin levels are high if more than 1,000 mcg / L. This indicates a buildup of iron in the body. This condition is also known as hemochromatosis.
This disease can run in families (genetic). In addition, hemochromatosis can also be caused by the following conditions:
- Thalassemia
- Some types of anemia that cause red blood cells to break down (such as hemolytic anemia)
- Too many blood transfusions
- Drinking alcohol often
- Hodgkins disease
- Leukemia
- Infection
- Arthritis
- Lupus
- Diet high in iron.
Low ferritin levels
Below normal ferritin levels can indicate that the body is deficient in iron or may have iron deficiency anemia. This can be caused by:
- Losing a lot of blood due to heavy menstruation
- Bleeding during pregnancy
- Lack of consuming iron-rich foods
- Bleeding in the intestines
How to deal with abnormal examination results?
Overcoming abnormal ferritin levels will depend on the cause. Here's the full explanation:
Overcoming high ferritin levels
In cases of high ferritin levels or hemochromatosis, your doctor may recommend the following treatment options:
1. Blood reduction
Doctors can treat hemochromatosis safely by removing blood from your body regularly, much like when you donate blood. The amount of blood that is reduced in the body depends on your age, health condition, and the severity of iron overload.
2. chelation therapy
If you are unable to undergo a phlebotomy or reduction in blood, your doctor may recommend medications to remove excess iron. Medicines can be injected into the body or oral drugs.
These drugs will bind excess iron in your body. Excess iron is excreted in the urine or feces in a process called chelation.
Overcoming low ferritin levels
Low levels of ferritin can indicate that you have iron deficiency anemia. This condition can be treated with the following treatment options:
- Iron supplements
- Medicines, such as oral contraceptives to relieve heavy menstrual flow
- Antibiotics to treat stomach ulcers
- Surgery to remove bleeding polyps, tumors, or fibroids
Apart from those mentioned above, you can also overcome low ferritin levels by eating foods high in iron. Examples are meat, seafood, nuts, and green vegetables.
