Results

The normal range for blood ferritin is:

• For men, 24 to 336 micrograms per liter
• For women, 11 to 307 micrograms per liter

Lower than normal results

This indicates that you have iron deficiency. You might also be anemic. If your ferritin level is low, your doctor will work to determine the cause.

Higher than normal results

A higher than normal ferritin level can be seen in several conditions. However, diagnosis of these conditions might require additional testing based on your symptoms and physical examination.

• Hemochromatosis
• Porphyria — A group of disorders caused by an enzyme deficiency that affects your nervous system and skin
• Rheumatoid arthritis or another chronic inflammatory disorder
• Liver disease
• Hyperthyroidism
• Leukemia
• Hodgkin's lymphoma
• Multiple blood transfusions
• Alcohol abuse
• Taking too many iron supplements

If your ferritin level is above normal, your doctor might need to evaluate the results with those of other tests to determine next steps.

For specifics about what your ferritin test results mean, talk to your doctor.