Your guide to Ferritin.
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What is Ferritin?
Ferritin is a type of protein that most of our bodies’ iron is bound to. It plays a crucial role in regulating iron stores and can be used as a biomarker for your body’s iron stores. However, in the presence of inflammation, ferritin levels often increase in response.
What does it assess?
Ferritin testing assesses the level of ferritin in the blood which can serve as a proxy for your body's iron stores. Ferritin is thus useful in diagnosing conditions related to iron deficiency or iron excess (overload). It is also a non-specific marker of inflammation levels, as ferritin levels increase during acute inflammation.
How do I optimize my Ferritin levels?
Ferritin testing assesses the level of ferritin in the blood, which can serve as a proxy for your body's iron stores. Ferritin is thus useful in diagnosing conditions related to iron deficiency or iron excess (overload).
It is also a non-specific marker of inflammation levels, as ferritin levels increase during acute inflammation.
Certain substances can interfere with iron absorption if consumed too closely with iron-rich meals. These include calcium, tannins, and phytates. To maximize iron uptake, avoid consuming tea, coffee, or high-calcium foods within an hour of an iron-rich meal.
Ensure your diet includes sufficient iron, focusing on both heme iron and non-heme iron (from plant sources). Heme iron, found in red meat, poultry, and fish, is more easily absorbed by the body.
Non-heme iron, present in foods like beans, lentils, tofu, and leafy greens, can also support ferritin but is absorbed less efficiently.
Aim to include a balanced mix of these iron sources for better iron status.
What do high and low Ferritin levels mean?
Higher ferritin can be due to inflammation or recent illness, but if persistently high when well, indicate excessive iron stores. At markedly elevated levels, this is most often due to supplementation and excess consumption, but can also be due to inherited disorders (though this is extremely rare in non-Caucasians). This can increase the risk of liver disease, inflammation and cardiovascular disease.
Low ferritin levels generally indicate iron deficiency. As iron is crucial for red blood cell health, this is often, but not always, associated with anaemia (low haemoglobin). Iron deficiency can lead to symptoms of fatigue, low effort tolerance (easily short of breath), weakness and dizzy spells.
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