In the human body, there are many organs and glands that have the role to secrete the different substances, such as hormones, enzymes, proteins and many other substances. Each of these substances has a particular role in the functioning of the whole organism. One of the essential substances in the body is ferritin. It is a protein that can be found in the liver and spleen, but also in the bone marrow and skeletal muscle. The level of ferritin in the blood is very low. Ferritin is associated with iron in the body, since most of the iron stored in the body is bound to ferritin.
Ferritin blood test
Ferritin blood test measures the level of ferritin in the blood and therefore, it serves to show how much iron is stored in the body. The doctors order this test when they try to discover the cause of anemia. Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common types of anemia that appears in many people, especially in pregnant woman. Furthermore, ferritin blood test can also show if there is an inflammation in the body, or if there is too much iron stored in the body. Hemochromatosis is a medical term for the high level of iron in the body.
Ferritin blood test does not require any special preparations. The blood is taken out from a vein in the arm and it is not painful. Only slight stinging sensation can appear and the person usually does not have any discomforts after it. In few cases, a small bruise or the swollen vein may occur after taking the blood sample. However, people who have bleeding disorders or who use certain blood-thinning medicines, as well as Aspirin and warfarin, should inform the doctor about that.
Normal ferritin levels
The level of ferritin found in the blood sample is the same as the level of ferritin found in the body. The units of measurement for the ferritin blood test are either nanograms per milliliter or micrograms per liter. The normal range of the ferritin in the blood in men is between 18 and 270 micrograms per liter, while in women, the normal range of ferritin in the blood is between 18 and 160 micrograms per liter.
In children from 6 months to 15 years of age, the normal ferritin levels are from 7 to 142 micrograms per liter, while in babies who are old from 2 to 5 months, the normal ferritin levels are from 50 to 200 micrograms per liter. The normal range of ferritin level in the blood in newborn babies is between 25 and 200 micrograms per liter, while in babies who are one month old, it is between 200 and 600 micrograms per liter.
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