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About Ferritin

Ferritin is the iron storage protein that correlates well with the levels of stored iron. The level of ferritin typically decreases if there is iron deficiency. A low ferritin level (but at the low end of the reference range) commonly indicates iron deficiency associated with anemia. A ferritin level below the reference range indicates a severe iron deficiency. A normal or elevated ferritin level does not necessarily rule out iron deficiency in individuals with inflammation.

Elevated ferritin values usually occur with inflammation, infection, chronic alcohol use or other medical situations. High ferritin levels are also associated with dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS), most commonly associated with metabolic syndrome, diabetes and insulin resistance.

Biostarks reference ranges for ferritin

  • Ferritin (Fer-S): 15-270 ng/mL

Scientific references:

  • Winter, W. E., Bazydlo, L. A., & Harris, N. S. (2014). The molecular biology of human iron metabolism. Laboratory medicine, 45(2), 92-102.
  • Deugnier, Y., Bardou-Jacquet, É., & Lainé, F. (2017). Dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS). La Presse Médicale, 46(12), e306-e311.
  • Kadoglou, N. P., Biddulph, J. P., Rafnsson, S. B., Trivella, M., Nihoyannopoulos, P., & Demakakos, P. (2017). The association of ferritin with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in community-dwellers: The English longitudinal study of ageing. PloS one, 12(6), e0178994.
  • Ellervik, C., Marott, J. L., Tybjærg-Hansen, A., Schnohr, P., & Nordestgaard, B. G. (2014). Total and cause-specific mortality by moderately and markedly increased ferritin concentrations: general population study and meta-analysis. Clinical Chemistry, 60(11), 1419-1428.
  • Liu, J., Pu, C., Lang, L., Qiao, L., Abdullahi, M. A., & Jiang, C. (2016). Molecular pathogenesis of hereditary hemochromatosis. Histology and histopathology, 31(8), 833-840.
  • Simcox, J. A., & McClain, D. A. (2013). Iron and diabetes risk. Cell metabolism, 17(3), 329-341.
  • Jehn, M., Clark, J. M., & Guallar, E. (2004). Serum ferritin and risk of the metabolic syndrome in US adults. Diabetes care, 27(10), 2422-2428.
  • González, A. S., Guerrero, D. B., Soto, M. B., Diaz, S. P., Martinez-Olmos, M., & Vidal, O. (2006). Metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and the inflammation markers C-reactive protein and ferritin. European journal of clinical nutrition, 60(6), 802-809.
  • Deugnier, Y., Bardou-Jacquet, É., & Lainé, F. (2017). Dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome (DIOS). La Presse Médicale, 46(12), e306-e311.
  • Backe, M. B., Moen, I. W., Ellervik, C., Hansen, J. B., & Mandrup-Poulsen, T. (2016). Iron regulation of pancreatic beta-cell functions and oxidative stress. Annual review of nutrition, 36, 241-273.
  • Salonen, J. T., Nyyssönen, K., Korpela, H., Tuomilehto, J., Seppänen, R., & Salonen, R. (1992). High stored iron levels are associated with excess risk of myocardial infarction in eastern Finnish men. Circulation, 86(3), 803-811.
  • Sung, K. C., Kang, S. M., Cho, E. J., Park, J. B., Wild, S. H., & Byrne, C. D. (2012). Ferritin is independently associated with the presence of coronary artery calcium in 12 033 men. Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology, 32(10), 2525-2530.
  • Tuomainen, T. P., Nyyssönen, K., Salonen, R., Tervahauta, A., Korpela, H., Lakka, T., ... & Salonen, J. T. (1997). Body iron stores are associated with serum insulin and blood glucose concentrations: population study in 1,013 eastern Finnish men. Diabetes care, 20(3), 426-428.
  • Ma, Q., Kim, E. Y., Lindsay, E. A., & Han, O. (2011). Bioactive dietary polyphenols inhibit heme iron absorption in a dose‐dependent manner in human intestinal Caco‐2 cells. Journal of food science, 76(5), H143-H150.