What is a low ferritin level number
Daniel Johnson
Published Mar 31, 2026
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.
How low is too low for ferritin?
Ferritin: usually low in iron deficiency. Less than 10 is virtually diagnostic of iron deficiency anemia, while levels between 10 and 20 are suggestive. Ferritin is an acute phase reactant, and levels are increased in the setting of inflammation.
Is a ferritin level of 30 low?
Reference ranges for blood ferritin vary across laboratories, but generally levels of 30 to 300 ng/ml are considered normal for men, and 10 to 200 ng/ml for women [5].
Is a ferritin level of 52 low?
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 iron deficiency?
Ferritin. Ferritin is a measure of iron stores and is the most sensitive and specific test for iron deficiency. Low levels of ferritin less than 15 μg/ml are diagnostic of iron deficiency. Levels higher than 40 μg/ml in a healthy person are considered optimal.
Is 3 a low ferritin level?
What are normal results for a ferritin test? 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.
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.
Is 7 a low iron level?
A normal hemoglobin level is 11 to 18 grams per deciliter (g/dL), depending on your age and gender. But 7 to 8 g/dL is a safe level. Your doctor should use just enough blood to get to this level.What cancers cause low ferritin levels?
In a study published in July 2013 in the Annals of Oncology, iron deficiency was most commonly seen in people with pancreatic cancer (present in 63 percent of participants), followed by colorectal cancer (52 percent) and lung cancer (51 percent).
How quickly can ferritin levels rise?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.
Article first time published onWhat is the average ferritin level for a woman?
The normal range for blood ferritin is: For men, 24 to 336 micrograms per liter. For women, 11 to 307 micrograms per liter.
Is 10 a low iron level?
In iron-deficiency anemia, blood levels of iron will be low, or less than 10 micromoles per liter (mmol/L) for both men and women. Normal levels are 10 to 30 mmol/L. Levels of ferritin will also be low, or less than 10 micrograms per liter (mg/L) for both men and women.
What is a good iron level for a woman?
Normal levels are generally between 35.5 and 44.9 percent for adult women and 38.3 to 48.6 percent for adult men. These values may change depending on your age.
What is considered severely anemic?
For all of the tested groups, moderate anemia corresponds to a level of 7.0-9.9 g/dl, while severe anemia corresponds to a level less than 7.0 g/dl.
What diseases cause low ferritin?
- Anemia [2]
- Fatigue [3]
- Hair loss [4, 5, 6, 7]
- Fibromyalgia [8]
- IBD [9]
- Hypothyroidism [10]
- Depression [11]
- Anxiety [12]
What is a good range for ferritin?
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.
Can low iron and ferritin cause weight gain?
No association was found between ferritin concentration and extrapyramidal symptoms. Conclusions: Body iron stores are inversely related to risperidone-induced weight gain, even after extended treatment and despite adequate iron intake. Low iron stores are associated with poorer treatment response.
Is a ferritin level of 13 low?
Amount (µg/L)Low<12Borderline low12-13Normal13-150Borderline high150-154
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 ferritin a tumor marker?
Ferritin: a tumor marker expressed by renal cell carcinoma.
What were your first signs of leukemia?
- Fever or chills.
- Persistent fatigue, weakness.
- Frequent or severe infections.
- Losing weight without trying.
- Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen.
- Easy bleeding or bruising.
- Recurrent nosebleeds.
- Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
What are the symptoms of low ferritin?
- unexplained fatigue.
- dizziness.
- chronic headaches.
- unexplained weakness.
- ringing in your ears.
- irritability.
- leg pains.
- shortness of breath.
What happens when your iron level is below 5?
Skin that is paler than usual and pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids are other common symptoms of iron deficiency ( 5 , 6 ). The hemoglobin in red blood cells gives blood its red color, so low levels during iron deficiency make the blood less red.
What do eyes look like when anemic?
Paleness is more commonly seen in moderate or severe cases of anemia (7). If you pull your lower eyelid down, the inside layer should be a vibrant red color. If it is a very pale pink or yellow color, this may indicate that you have iron deficiency.
What is a critical hemoglobin level?
An Hb value less than 5.0 g/dL (50 g/L) can lead to heart failure and death. A value greater than 20 g/dL (200 g/L) can lead to obstruction of the capillaries as a result of hemoconcentration.
What is the best iron supplement to take for low ferritin?
Ferrous salts (ferrous fumarate, ferrous sulfate, and ferrous gluconate) are the best absorbed iron supplements and are often considered the standard compared with other iron salts.
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.
How long does it take to correct low ferritin?
Most people start to feel better within a few days of beginning treatment. Even though you feel better, you will need to keep taking the pills for several months to build up your iron stores. Sometimes it takes up to 6 months of treatment with iron supplements before iron levels return to normal.
Can you have low ferritin but normal hemoglobin?
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.
Is 47 a good iron level?
Normal Results Normal value range is: Iron: 60 to 170 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL), or 10.74 to 30.43 micromoles per liter (micromol/L) Total iron binding capacity (TIBC): 240 to 450 mcg/dL, or 42.96 to 80.55 micromol/L.
What happens if your iron level is 0?
Without enough iron, your body can’t produce enough of a substance in red blood cells that enables them to carry oxygen (hemoglobin). As a result, iron deficiency anemia may leave you tired and short of breath.