Marker group

Iron Storage

Plain-English guides to the iron storage markers we measure and what your results mean, written to inform the conversation with your practitioner.

Markers in this group

FerritinFerritin is your body's iron-storage protein, and a blood ferritin test shows how much iron you have in reserve. It is the most useful single marker for spotting low iron stores, and it is usually done alongside other iron tests to build the full picture.Serum IronThis measures how much iron is moving around your blood right now. On its own it does not say much, because the level drifts up and down through the day and after meals. So one result does not mean your iron is fine or low — doctors read it together with a few other iron tests to see the real picture.TransferrinTransferrin is the protein your liver makes to carry iron around your blood — think of it as the delivery van for iron. Here is the twist: when your iron runs low, your body builds more vans, so a high result often means low iron, not high. That is why it only makes sense read together with your other iron tests.Transferrin SaturationPicture your iron being carried around in delivery vans. This number is how full those vans are. Mostly empty often means your iron is running low; very full is the main early clue that your body may be storing too much iron, which can run in families. It is always read with your other iron results.

Reading results in this group

low

Low iron affects oxygen delivery to every cell in your body - your energy, focus, and physical endurance all suffer. Iron stores power your haemoglobin, which carries oxygen from your lungs to tissues.

That exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix? Breathlessness on stairs? Difficulty concentrating?

Possible reasons:

Dietary intake lower than needs (especially plant-based diets)
Heavy menstrual periods (most common cause in pre-menopausal women)
Reduced absorption (gut issues, medications, low stomach acid)
Increased needs (pregnancy, breastfeeding, growth spurts)
Blood loss (gut bleeding, frequent blood donation)

Next steps: Discuss with your GP, especially if you have symptoms. They can recommend iron supplementation and may investigate causes of iron loss (particularly heavy periods or gut issues).

Energy often improves within 2-4 weeks when iron levels are addressed. Full iron stores rebuild in 3-6 months.

in range

Your iron stores are sufficient to support healthy oxygen delivery throughout your body.

Possible reasons:

Iron balance maintained through diet and controlled absorption

Next steps: Continue maintaining iron balance through varied diet including iron-rich foods.

high

Elevated iron stores can occur with inflammation, liver changes, or iron metabolism variations. High iron isn't caused by diet - your body tightly regulates iron absorption.

Possible reasons:

Inflammation (ferritin rises as an acute phase reactant)
Liver function changes
Haemochromatosis (genetic iron overload - rare)
Recent iron supplementation or infusion

Next steps: Discuss with your GP to determine if investigation is needed. They may check additional iron studies or assess for inflammation.

Medication Considerations

These medications may affect your results:

Iron supplements: Iron supplements will raise ferritin levels.

Test your iron storage

NATA-accredited testing. Results in 2–5 days. No GP referral required.

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