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Ferritin
Panel: Iron Studies · All iron studies tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | Male 30–400; Female 15–150 ng/mL |
| SI units | Male 30–400; Female 15–150 ng/mL |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High ferritin: high values can be seen in iron overload, inflammation, liver disease, and some cancers.
Low ferritin: low values may occur in iron deficiency.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Good to know
Ferritin is also an acute-phase protein and rises with inflammation, which can mask iron deficiency.
Related tests — Iron Studies
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.