About the Test

Check your iron, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and ferritin, which help support a number of vital functions in your body. Iron is an important nutrient needed to form hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs throughout your body for energy. TIBC is a measurement of how well your blood attaches itself to iron to move it around your body.

Ferritin is a protein in the blood that contains iron and helps you understand how much iron your body is storing. If your iron results are higher or lower than normal, you and your healthcare provider can work together to determine the next steps.

What’s Tested?

Measure the amount of iron in your blood, how well your blood transports iron, and the amount of iron you have stored. Iron is an essential mineral needed for proper growth and development in the body. You must absorb iron through food or supplements because your body does not produce iron on its own.

Iron is needed by red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body. A low iron level can point to anemia, which may be caused by diet, injury or blood loss, pregnancy, heavy exercise, and certain conditions. Too much iron in the blood can point to underlying medical conditions and cause problems with the liver, heart, kidneys, joints, or other organs. If abnormal iron levels are left untreated, they may lead to serious blood disorders or other health conditions.