OVERVIEW:
What is iron/Fe level (serum) lab test?
Iron/Fe level serum lab test measures the amount of iron present in the liquid portion of blood. Iron is an extremely essential nutrient and amongst many other functions, it is required for the production of healthy red blood cells.
Why is Iron/Fe level (serum) lab test done?
Iron/Fe level serum lab test is done in order to:
- Monitor iron levels when there is a suspicion of anaemia,
- Diagnose different types of anaemia,
- Check if the iron level is too high, a sign of hemochromatosis,
- See if the treatment given for iron deficiency or iron overload is working or not.
Iron/Fe level (serum) lab test measures the amount of iron present in serum i.e. the liquid portion of blood left after red blood cells and the clotting factors have been removed.
What is the serum iron blood test?
The serum iron test is used to measure the amount of iron that is bound to transferrin in the blood.
What happens if your serum iron is low?
Permanently low level of iron is known as anaemia. Early signs of anaemia are chronic fatigue, dizziness, and headache.
What is the normal iron level for females?
The normal serum iron level for females is 60mcg/dL to 140mcg/dL.
What causes low serum iron levels?
Iron deficiency anaemia, thalassemia, chronic blood loss, gastrointestinal bleeding, peptic ulcers, and colorectal cancers can all cause low serum iron levels.
Are there any risks associated with this test?
There are no known risks associated with this test.
Normal range of iron level in serum is: 60mcg/dL to 170mcg/dL
Transferrin saturation: 25% to 35%
Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC): 240mcg/dL to 450mcg/dL
Any value higher than the normal range indicates iron overload and lower than the normal range indicates iron deficiency.
