Ferritin Test Results Explained: What Your Number Means

Ferritin results, explained

Enter your value to see whether it falls in the typical range and what that means. This is an educational explainer — not a diagnosis, and your entry never leaves your browser.

Note: Ferritin also rises with inflammation, infection, and liver conditions, so a 'normal' or high ferritin doesn't always rule out low iron. Clinicians interpret it with other iron tests.

Enter your Ferritin value

ng/mL

ng/mL and µg/L are the same number for ferritin.

This is educational, not a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary between labs and assays — the range printed on your report is the one that applies to you, and a single value is interpreted with your history and symptoms by a clinician. Your entry stays in your browser; nothing is stored or sent anywhere.

Reference ranges: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) — Iron-Deficiency Anemia. View source

What Ferritin measures

Ferritin reflects how much iron your body has in storage. It's the most useful single blood test for spotting iron deficiency.

Why the test is done

To investigate iron deficiency (a common cause of fatigue in women) or iron overload.

Typical reference ranges

Typical adult reference bands for Ferritin (ng/mL)
Band	What it may mean
Low	A ferritin below about 15 ng/mL indicates depleted iron stores (iron deficiency) in most adults. Many clinicians act on levels under ~30 when symptoms are present.
Low-normal	15–30 ng/mL is low-normal; iron deficiency is still possible at this level, especially with fatigue, heavy periods, or hair thinning. Worth discussing with a clinician.
Within typical range	Roughly 30–200 ng/mL falls within common reference ranges for women, though exact ranges vary by lab and by age.
Above typical range	A high ferritin can reflect iron overload, but more often reflects inflammation or another condition. It needs interpretation with other tests.

Ranges shown are typical adult values from NHLBI, National Institutes of Health; your own lab's printed range applies to you. View source.

Frequently asked questions

What ferritin level is too low?

A ferritin below about 15 ng/mL indicates iron deficiency in most adults, and many clinicians act on levels under about 30 ng/mL when there are symptoms like fatigue or heavy periods. Because ferritin also rises with inflammation, it's interpreted alongside other iron tests.