Iron Blood Tests

An iron blood test tells you how much iron you have in your blood. Iron is an essential mineral that helps your body make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to your cells and organs. You get iron from the foods you eat or from supplements.

Iron blood tests also measure how much iron you have stored, how iron moves through your body and how much iron your body can carry overall.

Types of iron blood tests

There are different types of iron blood tests. Your provider may order one or all of them. The different tests are:

• Serum iron: Measures the amount of iron in your blood right now
• Transferrin: Measures transferrin, a protein that moves iron throughout your body
• Total iron-binding capacity (TIBIC): Measures how much iron your blood can carry
• Transferrin saturation: Measures the percentage of transferrin carrying iron
• Ferritin: Measures your iron stores or reserves

What does this test help diagnose?

Healthcare providers may recommend an iron test if you have symptoms of too much or too little iron. The test can help diagnose conditions like:

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Iron overload
• Anemia of chronic disease
• Liver disease
• Thalassemias

It can also check if treatments for low or high iron are working.

An iron blood test isn’t on a standard complete blood count (CBC). But a CBC could give your healthcare provider clues about your iron levels. For example, low iron levels affect hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin is on a CBC.

What happens during an iron blood test?

Some healthcare providers will ask you to avoid all food and beverages for 12 hours before the test. Other healthcare providers don’t require fasting. It’s best to check several days before your blood test. If you take daily medications for a health condition, ask your provider whether you should take that medication on the day of your test.

An iron blood test is like any other test that requires giving a blood sample. A phlebotomist will find a vein in your inner elbow. They’ll clean it with antiseptic. Then, they’ll insert a small needle and collect your blood into a tube. When they remove the needle, they’ll put a bandage on top. The whole process takes about five minutes. You can go back to your normal activities right away.

Are there risks or side effects?

Iron blood tests are safe and effective. The risks are the same as any other blood draw. This could include mild bruising or soreness in the spot where the needle was.

When should I know my results?

It depends. Some results are available within a few days. If your provider ordered a full iron panel, those results could take a little longer. You can ask your provider when to expect the results and if they’ll call you with them.

What type of results do you get, and what do the results mean?

The results you get depend on what iron blood test you had. You’ll usually see a reference range next to your numbers. This range can help you interpret your results. If your result is higher or lower than the reference range, it’s often marked with a symbol or letter.

• “H” means the level was high.
• “L” means the level was low.
• If results are normal, nothing will be flagged or marked.

Generally, high iron levels in blood test results may suggest iron overload. Low levels may mean iron deficiency. If this happens to you, your provider will try to figure out why your iron levels are too high or too low. Then, they’ll recommend treatment to get your iron levels in a typical range.

Call your healthcare provider if you have questions about your test results. Labs can report test results differently. It’s always best to let your provider interpret the results.