If you need to know which are the ferritin reference ranges or you require more information about the role of ferritin in the blood, you can visit normal ferritin level in the blood
A low ferritin level in the blood is a sign that the iron storage in the body is very low. If there is not enough iron in the body, the formation of the red blood cells will be compromised. The red blood cells are essential for the transportation of oxygen to the cells.
A low level of ferritin in the body can be due to:
If there is not enough iron in the body, you can suffer from fatigue, headache, cold hands and feet or brittle nails. Ferritin blood values are usually given in ng/ml but sometimes you can see these values in µg/L following the International System of Units (SI). Numeric values are similar in ng/ml or in µg/L
Ferritin values are a bit low and the reserves of iron are limited.
You must talk to your doctor in case the hemoglobin or the hematocrit is also low because you can fall into iron-deficiency anemia.
It can be due to a deficit of iron in your diet (for example, in a vegetarian diet), a malabsorption of iron (Crohn’s disease or celiac disease) or excessive loss of iron (menstruation, excessive bleeding).
Marked hypoferretinemia may be a sign of iron-deficiency anemia. The formation of red blood cells will not be optimal. You can feel fatigue or headache.
You must visit your doctor and, if he considers it appropriate, he will give you iron supplements to increase iron level in the blood.
There are some circumstances than can reduce your ferritin level in the blood:
Lower than normal level of ferritin in the blood can be due to the following diseases:
If you want to increase your ferritin level in the blood, you can try the following tips:
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The following values are considered to be below the normal range:
IMPORTANT: These levels are expressed in ng/dL. They are an example of a healthy woman of about 35 years old, not on menopause, with a balanced diet, not known disease and not taking any medication. The ranges can be different depending on the laboratory or on your personal circumstances.
Ferritin | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moderate hypoferretinemia | |||||||
| 11 ng/ml | 10 ng/ml | 9 ng/ml | 8 ng/ml | ||||
| Marked hypoferretinemia | |||||||
| 7 ng/ml | 6 ng/ml | 5 ng/ml | 4 ng/ml | 3 ng/ml | 2 ng/ml | 1 ng/ml | 0 ng/ml |