If you need to know which are the TIBC reference ranges or you require more information about the role of TIBC in the blood, you can visit normal TIBC level in the blood
TIBC is the acronym of Total Iron Binding Capacity. TIBC is an assay to know indirectly the amount of transferrin present in the blood. Transferrin is a protein produced in the liver that carries iron through the bloodstream.
A low value of TIBC may be a sign of inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis, lupus), infection or liver disorder (cirrhosis). The study of TIBC lets differentiate the iron-deficiency anemia from the anemia of chronic disease (diabetes, liver or kidney disease, cancer, etc.). In anemia of chronic disease, TIBC will be lower than normal. In iron-deficiency anemia, TIBC will be higher than normal.
If iron and ferritin in the blood are higher than normal it may be a sign of hemochromatosis, a disease where iron accumulates in different organs.
TIBC is a bit low and it is a sign that the transferrin level in the blood is low.
It is adequate to study the rest of the iron related parameters, such as serum iron, ferritin or transferrin saturation to give a proper diagnosis.
If those parameters are in the normal ranges, it is not a matter for concern. If those parameters are altered, you should visit your doctor.
TIBC is extremely low. It may be a sign of a liver disorder such as cirrhosis that is altering the normal production of transferrin in the liver. If ferritin is high may suggest this situation.
You should visit your doctor and he will decide if it is advisable to perform additional screening tests to get a diagnosis.
There are some circumstances and drugs than can reduce your TIBC:
Lower than normal TIBC can be due to:
A low value of TIBC (low transferrin level in the blood) is usually secondary to other diseases and health problems (infection, inflammation). For this reason, the best tip to return to a normal range of TIBC is to look for and solve the underlying cause.
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The following values are considered to be below the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in µg/dL. They are an example of a healthy woman of about 45 years old with no known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
TIBC | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mild TIBC decrease | |||||||
| 249 µg/dL | 248 µg/dL | 247 µg/dL | 246 µg/dL | 245 µg/dL | 244 µg/dL | 243 µg/dL | 242 µg/dL |
| 241 µg/dL | 240 µg/dL | 239 µg/dL | 238 µg/dL | 237 µg/dL | 236 µg/dL | 235 µg/dL | 234 µg/dL |
| 233 µg/dL | 232 µg/dL | 231 µg/dL | 230 µg/dL | 229 µg/dL | 228 µg/dL | 227 µg/dL | 226 µg/dL |
| 225 µg/dL | 224 µg/dL | 223 µg/dL | 222 µg/dL | 221 µg/dL | 220 µg/dL | 219 µg/dL | 218 µg/dL |
| 217 µg/dL | 216 µg/dL | 215 µg/dL | 214 µg/dL | 213 µg/dL | 212 µg/dL | 211 µg/dL | 210 µg/dL |
| 209 µg/dL | 208 µg/dL | 207 µg/dL | 206 µg/dL | 205 µg/dL | 204 µg/dL | 203 µg/dL | 202 µg/dL |
| 201 µg/dL | 200 µg/dL | ||||||
| Marked TIBC decrease | |||||||
| 199 µg/dL | 198 µg/dL | 197 µg/dL | 196 µg/dL | 195 µg/dL | 194 µg/dL | 193 µg/dL | 192 µg/dL |
| 191 µg/dL | 190 µg/dL | 189 µg/dL | 188 µg/dL | 187 µg/dL | 186 µg/dL | 185 µg/dL | 184 µg/dL |
| 183 µg/dL | 182 µg/dL | 181 µg/dL | 180 µg/dL | 179 µg/dL | 178 µg/dL | 177 µg/dL | 176 µg/dL |
| 175 µg/dL | 174 µg/dL | 173 µg/dL | 172 µg/dL | 171 µg/dL | 170 µg/dL | 169 µg/dL | 168 µg/dL |
| 167 µg/dL | 166 µg/dL | 165 µg/dL | 164 µg/dL | 163 µg/dL | 162 µg/dL | 161 µg/dL | 160 µg/dL |
| 159 µg/dL | 158 µg/dL | 157 µg/dL | 156 µg/dL | 155 µg/dL | 154 µg/dL | 153 µg/dL | 152 µg/dL |
| 151 µg/dL | 150 µg/dL | 149 µg/dL | 148 µg/dL | 147 µg/dL | 146 µg/dL | 145 µg/dL | 144 µg/dL |
| 143 µg/dL | 142 µg/dL | 141 µg/dL | 140 µg/dL | 139 µg/dL | 138 µg/dL | 137 µg/dL | 136 µg/dL |
| 135 µg/dL | 134 µg/dL | 133 µg/dL | 132 µg/dL | 131 µg/dL | 130 µg/dL | 129 µg/dL | 128 µg/dL |
| 127 µg/dL | 126 µg/dL | 125 µg/dL | 124 µg/dL | 123 µg/dL | 122 µg/dL | 121 µg/dL | 120 µg/dL |
| 119 µg/dL | 118 µg/dL | 117 µg/dL | 116 µg/dL | 115 µg/dL | 114 µg/dL | 113 µg/dL | 112 µg/dL |
| 111 µg/dL | 110 µg/dL | 109 µg/dL | 108 µg/dL | 107 µg/dL | 106 µg/dL | 105 µg/dL | 104 µg/dL |
| 103 µg/dL | 102 µg/dL | 101 µg/dL | 100 µg/dL | ||||
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