The serum iron test shows you if your blood has low or high iron levels. It’s important to know if you have too much or too little iron in your blood. you can test yourself a doctor and get an accurate diagnosis. he will draw a sample of blood and take it to a laboratory for tests.
This is a routine test that some people take when they have symptoms of anemia. some tests show abnormal iron levels that are either results that show an iron deficiency or iron overload.
Symptoms of iron deficiency: chronic fatigue, dizziness, muscle weakness, and headache. They might also get worse and you will experience tongue and mouth sores misshapen nails you will have a difficulty in concentrating or you will be more irritable.
You might have iron overload if you feel fighting if you have pain in your joints or abdomen, or if you have a lack of energy, heart problems, your muscles feel weak, or you lose weight.
What Are the Normal Results of an Iron Test?
The iron in the serum is measured in micrograms of iron per deciliter of blood:
A normal range of iron is 60 to 170 mcg/dL. There are two other results that show transferrin saturation: 25% to 35%, and a total iron binding capacity (TIBC) which has to be between 240 and 450 mcg/dL.
Transferrin is the protein that leads the iron through the body. TIBC shows how well the transferrin proteins transport iron through your body.
High Iron Levels
You have too much iron in your serum because you have consumed too much iron vitamin B6 or vitamin B12. You might have: hemolysis, liver conditions, iron poisoning or iron overload.
Low Iron Levels
Your body isn’t absorbing iron or you haven’t consumed enough. Women might also experience low iron levels when they have heavy menstrual periods.
A person with low iron levels can be anemic pregnant or have gastrointestinal blood loss.
There are certain medications that affect serum iron test results: birth control pills, for example. before taking this test inform your doctor about your medication.
After your doctor has reviewed the results of the test with you she will suggest some changes in your diet or some supplements if you have low iron levels.
Increasing the item level is easy if you eat iron-rich food such as: red meats, beans, grains, liver or dark-green vegetables.
