People should ask their doctor to run this test (Image: Getty)
People have been urged to ask their doctor to check their blood if they are experiencing unexplained tiredness and forgetfulness. It could help spot a common problem before many of the major warning signs ever appear.
Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS surgeon, said: “If you’ve been told that your iron is normal – but you still feel exhausted, forgetful and have a low mood – this is what you should ask your doctor to check on your blood panels. The first thing to drop isn’t iron in the blood, it’s the ‘storage iron’.”
The medical expert claimed that having a doctor examine your ferritin levels might be the “earliest and most sensitive” way to gauge how depleted your baseline iron levels are. He claimed that tests could detect a deficiency “even before anaemia develops”.
Commonly, a low level of iron can lead to a condition called iron deficiency anaemia. The NHS reports that this is often caused by a lack of iron, typically due to blood loss or pregnancy, but is easily treatable.
Beyond this, going deeper into a full panel of bloodwork can reveal what levels are depleted. He said that transferrin saturation (TSAT) “shows how much iron is being transported and is actually usable” whilst assessing a person’s total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) can figure out if the body is “desperately trying to grab onto more iron”.
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Dr Rajan added: “Ferritin can be falsely high if inflammation is present. You need a combination of CRP and ferritin for accuracy. Haemoglobin and MCV are late-stage markers and often the last to fall.”
How do doctors test ferritin levels?
An NHS ferritin blood test measures stored iron levels, typically used to diagnose iron deficiency anaemia or iron overload (haemochromatosis). A small blood sample is taken from the arm, often as part of a full blood count (FBC).
Generally, a doctor will advise a patient to fast for 12 hours before taking the sample. Levels are considered low if they drop to between 12 and 30ug/L – however, a lack of ferritin can start to cause issues like pale skin, brittle nails and hair loss below levels of 70ug/L.
The results are usually available quite quickly after to procedure. Getting these can help GPs investigate the cause of the issue and determine the best solution for the individual patient.
What is the treatment for low ferritin and iron levels?
Once a cause is established, treatment is often given in the form of iron tablets to supplement what your body is not getting naturally. Dr Rajan warned: “In addition to looking at the correct panels, don’t supplement blindly because too much iron can be harmful; you need a diagnosis first.”
Taking too much iron can cause common digestive issues like constipation, nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea or black/bloody bowel movements. Severe overdoses can lead to serious problems such as liver damage, heart failure and seizures.
The NHS recommends that people get between 8.7mg (men and women over 50) and 14.8mg (women under 50 or still having regular periods). Most of this is possible through a healthy and balanced diet that includes foods such as red meat, beans, nuts, dried fruits, and fortified breakfast cereals.
Dr Rajan also suggested that timing helps with how effective the pills are, too, claiming that tablets are “best absorbed on an empty stomach”, meaning that first thing in the morning is usually one of the best times to take them. He added: “Low iron is a spectrum. You can get a constellation of symptoms that appear before the classic low energy and dizziness symptoms.”
