A level that is too high or too low can reveal several illnesses or health problems.
Ferritin is an essential protein for the body because it helps absorb, store and release iron inside the cells of the liver, spleen, bone marrow and skeletal muscles. Measuring your ferritin level is important because it allows you to know the quantity of iron in the body and detect a deficiency or excess of this trace element.
The ferritin dosage is prescribed by a doctor in consultation or in hospital. It is obtained through a blood test taken in the crook of the elbow, on an empty stomach and accompanied by a second analysis a few weeks apart to confirm the level. Too high a ferritin level can come from a diet too rich in iron (too much consumption of red meats for example), from a genetic disease such as hemochromatosis, from a liver disease such as NASH, hepatitis or cirrhosis, an inflammatory disease such as osteoarthritis or lupus. This can be caused by medication, repeated blood transfusions, chronic alcoholism, metabolic syndrome, etc. A level that is too low can conversely reflect an iron deficiency. This can come from a diet that is too low in iron, excessive blood loss, particularly during menstruation, chronic hemolytic or gynecological hemorrhages, pregnancy or bleeding due to ulcers, hemorrhoids, etc.
The normal level of ferritin in the blood may vary depending on the laboratory techniques used. Generally, the reference values are indicated on the examination results sheet. If they are not, your doctor will be able to tell you if your results are normal or “questioning”. “A ferritin level greater than 200 micrograms/L in men and 125 micrograms/L in women (not menopausal) must absolutely be monitored by a doctor as long as a hyperferritinemia (iron overload) can reveal several diseases or health problems” tells us Aurélie Tetzlaff, dietitian. In the same way, a level below 30 mg/L in men and 20 mg/L in women is also alarming and must be monitored.
In children, average ferritin levels are lower. “We do not have precise rates. Normal levels vary depending on the age of the child: for example, between 40-200 μg/L for a child up to 6 months, between 7 and 140 μg/L until puberty” replied the doctors from the gastroenterology department of the Pediatric Hospitals of Nice CHU-Lenval. Below or beyond, the child should be monitored by a doctor.