Ferritin
and Eva Rudolf-Müller, doctorEva Rudolf-Müller is a freelance writer in the medical team. She studied human medicine and newspaper sciences and has repeatedly worked in both areas - as a doctor in the clinic, as a reviewer, and as a medical journalist for various specialist journals. She is currently working in online journalism, where a wide range of medicine is offered to everyone.
More about the experts All content is checked by medical journalists.The protein ferritin is used to store iron. The level of its blood level allows a statement to be made about how much iron is stored in the body. Read everything important about the laboratory value ferritin here!
What is ferritin?
Ferritin is a large protein molecule that can store iron. It is the body's main iron store. Each ferritin molecule can store around 4000 iron molecules. The ferritin loaded with the heavy metal is located within cells.
The ferritin value is the most important parameter to get an impression of the iron metabolism. The ferritin level allows conclusions to be drawn as to whether the iron stores are empty and the patient has an iron deficiency.
In what cases is ferritin determined?
Ferritin is determined in:
- Suspected iron deficiency
- People at risk of iron deficiency such as pregnant women, blood donors, dialysis patients, vegetarians
- Suspected iron overload (too much iron in the body)
- Control of therapy with iron supplements
Ferritin is determined in serum or plasma. The following standard values apply for children, adolescents and adults:
| AGE | STANDARD VALUES |
|
0 to 14 days |
90 - 628 µg / l |
|
15 days to 2 months |
144 - 399 µg / l |
|
3 months |
87 - 430 µg / l |
|
4 to 5 months |
37-223 µg / l |
|
6 to 7 months |
19 - 142 µg / l
|
|
8 to 10 months |
14-103 µg / l |
|
11 months to 2 years |
1 - 199 µg / l |
|
3 to 15 years |
9 - 159 µg / l |
|
16 to 18 years |
male: 12 - 178 µg / l female: 10 - 163 µg / l |
|
19 to 50 years |
male: 9 - 437 µg / l female: 9 - 145 µg / l |
|
from 51 years |
male: 9 - 437 µg / l female: 17 - 237 µg / l |
The level of the value depends on the measurement method. The values are therefore only a rough guide.
In which cases is the ferritin level too low?
A ferritin level that is too low indicates an iron deficiency. This can be caused by:
- Diseases that lead to a reduced absorption of iron (iron absorption disorder, such as sprue or Crohn's disease)
- one-sided diet or malnutrition (with alcoholism and vegan diet)
- increased need for iron (pregnancy, breastfeeding, growth phase)
- Iron loss, for example through bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, menstruation, blood donation, blood loss via the urinary tract (hematuria)
- Transferrin deficiency, for example in certain kidney diseases (nephrotic syndrome), protein loss syndrome (exudative enteropathy), severe burns
Patients who have to undergo regular blood cleansing (hemodialysis) are particularly at risk of iron loss. The amount of ferritin in them is always lower than in a healthy comparison group.
In which cases is the ferritin level too high?
The ferritin level can be too high in:
- Iron overload (hemochromatosis)
- Iron distribution disorders, for example in infections, chronic inflammations, tumors, kidney failure with urine poisoning (uremia), liver damage, hemolytic anemia (anemia due to premature breakdown of red blood cells = hemolysis)
- Iron utilization disorder, such as anemia due to folic acid deficiency, anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency, hemoglobinopathies (diseases in which the formation of the red blood pigment is impaired) or porphyrias (metabolic diseases that are associated with a disruption in the structure of the red blood pigment heme)
As a representative of the acute phase proteins, ferritin generally increases with inflammation, infection and tissue damage.
Tags: prevention first aid pregnancy
