Summary of Diseases Associated With Lower Ferritin
- Anemia
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Fibromyalgia
- IBD
- Hypothyroidism
- Depression
- Anxiety
What does low ferritin indicate?
Ferritin is a blood protein that contains iron. A ferritin test helps your doctor understand how much iron your body stores. 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.
How serious is low ferritin?
Low ferritin levels
A result of low ferritin is strong evidence of an iron deficiency. The body requires iron to make hemoglobin, which is a protein in red blood cells that transfers oxygen from the lungs around the body. Without enough iron, a person may develop anemia.
What is considered a dangerously low ferritin level?
Ferritin: usually low in iron deficiency. Less than 10 is virtually diagnostic of iron deficiency anemia, while levels between 10 and 20 are suggestive.
Can stress cause low ferritin levels?
Decreased iron storage could lead to reduced hemoglobin resulting in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (Beguin and Jaspers, 2014). Studies have shown that chronic stress in rats results in decreased serum iron, serum ferritin, and BM iron (Wei et al., 2008) .
Does low ferritin make you tired?
If your ferritin levels are too low, you may feel fatigued and run down. Fatigue can often be linked to inadequate iron in the blood. And since ferritin is a marker of long-term iron intake, it’s perfect for determining whether that worn-down feeling can be linked to your diet.
Is a ferritin level of 15 low?
Suspected iron deficiency anemia – a ferritin level of ≤15 mcg/L is a marker of depleted or absent iron stores, and confirms iron deficiency anemia in the presence of low Hgb or HCT.
How can I raise my ferritin levels quickly?
Consuming iron-rich foods improves iron stores and ferritin levels. These include green leafy vegetables, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, oatmeal, cereals, wheat germ, beans and tofu, lamb and beef, nuts, pumpkin and squash seeds, liver and mollusks, among others.
What is the best supplement for low ferritin?
Here are the best iron supplements:
- Best Overall: Slow Fe Iron Tablets. …
- Best with Vitamin C: Pure Encapsulations Iron-C. …
- Best Liquid: Flora Floradix Iron + Herbs Liquid. …
- Best Tablet: Feosol Bifera Iron Caplets. …
- Best Organic: New Chapter Iron Complex Tablets. …
- Best Gummy: BeLive Iron Gummies.
How long does it take to increase ferritin levels?
With double dose, 7 of 9 showed a ferritin rise in 2 days with return to subnormal levels within 6 days of discontinuing iron. This study indicates that standard treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adults does not cause a rise in serum ferritin until hemoglobin levels are normal.
Can low ferritin cause inflammation?
Serum ferritin is also a well known inflammatory marker, but it is unclear whether serum ferritin reflects or causes inflammation, or whether it is involved in an inflammatory cycle. We argue here that serum ferritin arises from damaged cells, and is thus a marker of cellular damage.
What does low ferritin but normal hemoglobin mean?
Iron deficiency without anemia can occur when a person has a normal hemoglobin, but below normal serum ferritin and/or transferrin saturation. Iron deficiency with anemia can occur when a person has low values of both serum ferritin and hemoglobin.
What drink is high in iron?
Prune juice is made from dried plums, or prunes, which contain many nutrients that can contribute to good health. Prunes are a good source of energy, and they don’t cause a rapid hike in blood sugar levels. Half cup of prune juice contains 3 mg or 17 per cent iron.
What fruit is highest in iron?
Summary: Prune juice, olives and mulberries are the three types of fruit with the highest iron concentration per portion. These fruit also contain antioxidants and a variety of other nutrients beneficial to health.
Are Bananas high in iron?
Fruits like apples, banana and pomegranates are a rich source of iron and must be taken each day by anaemic individuals to get those pink cheeks and stay in pink of health.
Is 12 a low ferritin level?
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 is optimal ferritin level?
The normal range for ferritin is usually between 30 and 300 ng/mL, but Dr. Friedman recommends iron treatment for everyone with a ferritin less than 60 ng/mL.
What level of ferritin is considered anemic?
If symptoms are in accordance with iron deficiency, the patient should be considered iron deficient at least up to a serum ferritin concentration of 100 μg/L, or even much higher, if the patient has an inflammatory condition, kidney disease or fatty liver 2, 3.
Can low ferritin cause neurological symptoms?
Even in adults the first symptoms of iron deficiency are often neurologic, as those affected will frequently complain of fatigue, brain fog, and also restless legs causing insomnia.
Can low ferritin cause depression?
In the present study, individuals with poor sleep quality had higher depression when they had low ferritin levels. Another study found iron deficiency in 29.5% of individuals with depression, which was by 15% higher compared with healthy individuals (32).
Is a ferritin level of 6 low?
The results may vary slightly among laboratories, but in general, normal ferritin levels range from 12 to 300 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/mL) for males and 12 to 150 ng/mL for females.
Why is ferritin high with inflammation?
Ferritin molecules help sequester this free iron, preventing its participation in this reaction and subsequent free radical-mediated cellular damage. Beyond this protective role in redox biology and iron homeostasis, free serum ferritin is increased in the setting of ongoing inflammation.
Can low ferritin cause joint pain?
Low ferritin levels can indicate that you have iron-deficiency anaemia. Common symptoms of this include tiredness, dizziness, headaches, and weakness. While high levels can indicate that you’re storing too much iron. Common symptoms of this include stomach pain, heart palpitations, and joint pain.