Ferritin Test: Normal Range, Low Ferritin and What High Ferritin Means
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron, and serum ferritin is the single best indicator of body iron stores. Normal is 20–250 ng/mL in men and 10–120 ng/mL in women. A low ferritin confirms iron deficiency, but a normal ferritin does not rule it out because ferritin also rises with any inflammation.
Core & Routine Blood Tests
1 Parameter
Serum (2 mL)
6 Hours
Preparation & Fasting Guidelines
Detailed Clinical Overview
Ferritin is an intracellular protein that stores iron in a soluble, non-toxic form, mainly in the liver, spleen and bone marrow. A small amount leaks into the blood in proportion to total body iron stores, which is what serum ferritin measures. One nanogram per millilitre of serum ferritin corresponds to roughly 8–10 mg of stored iron.
Ferritin falls before haemoglobin does. Iron stores are depleted first, then the supply to the marrow becomes restricted, and only then does haemoglobin fall. This means iron deficiency can be caught at a stage where the person has symptoms — fatigue, hair fall, restless legs, poor exercise tolerance — but a completely normal CBC. That stage, iron deficiency without anaemia, is extremely common in Indian women and is missed whenever haemoglobin alone is checked.
The complication is that ferritin is also an acute-phase reactant. Infection, inflammation, liver disease, malignancy and obesity all raise it, and can push a genuinely iron-deficient person's ferritin into the normal range. When inflammation is suspected, a CRP measured alongside allows correct interpretation.
Why Get Tested at QXL Diagnostics?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the normal ferritin level?
A: 20 to 250 ng/mL in adult men and 10 to 120 ng/mL in adult women. Clinically, iron deficiency is likely below 30 ng/mL even though that is technically within the female reference interval, and a value below 15 ng/mL is diagnostic.
Q: What are the symptoms of low ferritin?
A: Fatigue, breathlessness on exertion, poor concentration, diffuse hair fall, brittle nails, restless legs at night, reduced exercise tolerance and sometimes unusual cravings such as for ice or mud. These can all occur with a completely normal haemoglobin, because iron stores empty before anaemia develops.
Q: Can I have iron deficiency with normal haemoglobin?
A: Yes, and it is common. Iron stores are depleted first and haemoglobin falls only later, so a person can be genuinely iron deficient with a normal CBC. This stage is called iron deficiency without anaemia, it causes real symptoms, and it is missed whenever only haemoglobin is checked.
Q: What does a ferritin of 10 mean?
A: A ferritin of 10 ng/mL means your iron stores are essentially empty and confirms iron deficiency. The next questions are why — menstrual loss, diet, poor absorption or gastrointestinal bleeding — and how to replace it. In an adult man or a postmenopausal woman, this finding requires evaluation of the gut.
Q: What causes high ferritin?
A: Most often inflammation rather than excess iron. Infection, autoimmune disease, obesity, fatty liver, alcohol, chronic kidney disease and malignancy all raise it. True iron overload from haemochromatosis or repeated transfusions is confirmed by a high transferrin saturation, not by ferritin alone.
Q: Should I stop iron tablets before a ferritin test?
A: Yes, stop oral iron for at least 24 to 48 hours, and longer if an accurate baseline is needed. Iron taken shortly before the test raises serum ferritin before your stores are genuinely replete, which can lead to stopping treatment too early.
Q: Is ferritin or a full iron profile better for diagnosing iron deficiency?
A: Ferritin is the single most useful test and is usually sufficient. A full iron profile with transferrin saturation adds value when inflammation is present, when iron overload is suspected, or when ferritin is normal but iron deficiency is still clinically likely.
Q: Can low ferritin cause hair fall?
A: There is a well-documented association between low iron stores and diffuse hair fall, particularly in women, and many dermatologists aim for a ferritin above 40–70 ng/mL when treating telogen effluvium. Iron is one contributor among several — thyroid function, vitamin D, protein intake and scalp conditions also matter.
Q: How long does it take to raise ferritin with iron treatment?
A: Haemoglobin usually responds within two to four weeks, but replenishing stores takes three to six months of continued treatment. Ferritin should be rechecked at eight to twelve weeks. Stopping iron as soon as haemoglobin normalises is the commonest reason deficiency recurs.
Q: Does ferritin need to be checked during infection?
A: No — avoid it. Ferritin rises sharply with any acute infection or inflammation and can move a genuinely iron-deficient person into the normal range. Wait at least two weeks after recovery, or measure CRP alongside so the result can be interpreted correctly.
Includes free doorstep home sample collection
Book Home Collection →Or call: +91 9964 639 639NABL Quality Guarantees
NABL Accredited (MC-6849)
ISO 15189:2022 quality compliance
Same-Day Digital Reports
Delivered straight to WhatsApp & Email
Free Doorstep Collection
Sterile vacuum containers & cold-chain kits