Ferro (iron) panel

Are you constantly tired, pale, losing hair or quickly breathless? The Ferro panel checks your blood count and all basic iron indicators in one collection: blood iron, iron-binding capacity (UIBC and TIBC) and ferritin, reflecting stores. It shows iron deficiency, anaemia or, less often, excess iron.

Who the panel is for

• you feel tired and weak, are pale, breathless on exertion, losing hair or have brittle nails;
• you have heavy or prolonged periods;
• you are pregnant or planning pregnancy;
• you are vegetarian or vegan, donate blood frequently or practise endurance sports;
• you have coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or previous stomach surgery reducing iron absorption;
• you take iron tablets or had an infusion and a doctor wants to check effects;
• your ferritin was previously raised or someone in the family has iron overload.

What the panel detects

• Complete blood count (CBC): haemoglobin and the number and size of red blood cells. It shows whether anaemia is present and its type.
• Serum iron: how much iron is currently in blood. It varies from day to day and after meals (more about blood iron).
• UIBC and TIBC: how much more iron can be bound by transferrin, its transport protein. A doctor calculates transferrin saturation from these and serum iron; it is not a separate reported number.
• Ferritin: body iron stores, the most important iron deficiency indicator (more about ferritin).

Together they show what one test cannot. Low iron, for example, may mean deficiency or inflammation; ferritin and TIBC distinguish them.

The procedure and preparation

Blood is taken from a vein, taking only a few minutes. Come in the morning fasting because iron is usually higher then and also rises after meals. Water is permitted.

Do not take iron tablets, drops or syrup or iron-containing multivitamins for 24 hours beforehand unless your doctor says otherwise. Mention recent iron infusion or transfusion, infection, pregnancy or contraceptive pills because these affect results.

What your result means

• Low ferritin: reduced iron stores. In adults, below 30 µg/L generally confirms deficiency even with normal haemoglobin.
• Low haemoglobin with low ferritin and raised TIBC: iron-deficiency anaemia. A doctor investigates the cause, most often blood loss or reduced absorption.
• Low iron with normal or raised ferritin: more often accompanies inflammation or chronic disease than deficiency, so replacement often does not help.
• Raised ferritin with normal transferrin saturation: most often inflammation, fatty liver, alcohol or metabolic syndrome, not excess iron.
• High iron, high transferrin saturation and high ferritin: possible iron overload, for example hereditary haemochromatosis, requiring further investigation.

Reference values depend on sex and age and are printed on the report. A doctor interprets results alongside symptoms and blood count; do not decide on replacement yourself. Examples of reading the full report appear in How to interpret serum iron results, while anaemia is discussed in Iron-deficiency anaemia.

How to arrange testing

You can have blood taken without an appointment or referral at one of our branches across Croatia (listed under Contact). Prices for all tests and panels are available in the price list.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to fast for the iron panel?

Yes. Come in the morning fasting because meals and time of day change blood iron. Water is permitted; do not take iron preparations for 24 hours beforehand unless your doctor says otherwise.

Can ferritin be low while the blood count is normal?

Yes. This is iron deficiency without anaemia: stores are depleted but haemoglobin remains within range. A doctor assesses whether replacement is needed and the cause.

Is ferritin a tumour marker?

No. Ferritin shows iron stores and rises with inflammation, liver disease and some other conditions. It can change in malignancies but is not used to detect them.

Should I take iron if results are low?

Not on your own. If inflammation is responsible, replacement does not help, and the body cannot excrete excess iron itself. A doctor checks the cause before deciding on replacement.