Ferritin levels, explained
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron in your body — it is the single best blood marker of how much iron you have in reserve.
What’s a normal Ferritin level?
Typical adult reference range, shown for orientation. Your report’s range may differ by lab, age, and sex — the analyzer uses your report’s own ranges when available.
What high and low Ferritin mean
A value outside the reference range is a flag, not a diagnosis. Here’s what each direction usually points to — and the most common causes.
High ferritin most often signals inflammation rather than iron overload, because ferritin is also an acute-phase protein that rises with any inflammatory process.
- Acute or chronic inflammation and infection
- Liver disease (fatty liver, hepatitis, alcohol use)
- Excess iron from hemochromatosis or repeated transfusions
- Metabolic syndrome, obesity, and heavy alcohol intake
Low ferritin almost always means depleted iron stores — the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide, and frequently present before anemia appears.
- Inadequate dietary iron or poor absorption (e.g. celiac disease)
- Heavy menstrual periods
- Pregnancy and increased iron demand
- Slow gastrointestinal blood loss (ulcers, polyps)
When a Ferritin result needs attention
A ferritin below ~15 ng/mL is highly specific for iron deficiency and warrants follow-up; a very high ferritin (often >1,000 ng/mL) needs evaluation for iron overload or significant underlying disease.
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Ferritin — frequently asked questions
- What does low ferritin mean?
- Low ferritin means your iron stores are depleted. It is the earliest sign of iron deficiency and often shows up before hemoglobin falls or you feel anemic. Common drivers are blood loss (including heavy periods), low dietary iron, poor absorption, and pregnancy. Fatigue, hair shedding, brittle nails, and breathlessness on exertion are typical symptoms.
- Should I worry about high ferritin?
- High ferritin is most often caused by inflammation, fatty liver, or alcohol rather than true iron overload, because ferritin rises with any inflammatory process. Genuinely high iron (hemochromatosis) usually pushes ferritin well above the reference range alongside a high transferrin saturation. A single mildly elevated ferritin is rarely an emergency, but a persistently or markedly high level should be evaluated.
- What is a normal ferritin level?
- Typical adult reference ranges run roughly 30–300 ng/mL, though labs vary and ranges differ by sex. Many clinicians treat ferritin under 30 ng/mL as iron deficient and under 15 ng/mL as definitively low, even when hemoglobin is still normal.
Related lab markers
- Hemoglobin →Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen — low hemoglobin defines anemia.
- Vitamin B12 →Vitamin B12 is essential for nerve function and red-blood-cell formation — a deficiency can cause anemia and neurological symptoms.
- CRP (C-Reactive Protein) →CRP is a protein made by the liver that rises with inflammation anywhere in the body — a general marker of inflammatory activity.
- All lab markers →Browse every biomarker guide in one place.
This page provides educational health information and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Interpret any lab value with your clinician, who has your full medical context. For emergencies, contact emergency services.