Iron Studies

Ferritin

Q: What is the normal range for Ferritin?

The standard teaching reference range for Ferritin is 12-300 ng/mL in conventional units, or 12-300 µg/L in SI units. This value is measured in serum. That band combines both sexes. Reported separately, men 24-336 ng/mL and women 11-307 ng/mL. Reference ranges vary by laboratory, method, age, sex, and population - always use the range printed on the actual result.

Q: What causes a high Ferritin?

Common causes of a high Ferritin: Iron overload / hemochromatosis; Inflammation or infection (acute-phase reactant); Liver disease; Malignancy.

Q: What causes a low Ferritin?

Common causes of a low Ferritin: Iron-deficiency anemia (most specific test).

Normal range 12-300 ng/mL (12-300 µg/L SI). Specimen: Serum.

Also known as: serum ferritin.

12-300 ng/mLReference range

Reference range

Combined adultng/mL

12300

SIµg/L

12300

Menng/mL

24336

Womenng/mL

11307

Adults. Separate men's and women's bands are published for Ferritin - read those rather than the combined band, which can call a result normal that is abnormal for the patient's sex. Pediatric ranges are not published here.

Ferritin reference range, specimen, and conversion details
Specimen	Serum
Conventional range	12-300 ng/mL
SI range	12-300 µg/L
Men	24-336 ng/mL (24-336 µg/L SI)
Women	11-307 ng/mL (11-307 µg/L SI)
Conversion factor	×1 (conventional → SI)
Panel	Iron Studies

Convert any Ferritin result between units on the unit converter.

What is the normal range for Ferritin?

The standard teaching reference range for Ferritin is 12-300 ng/mL in conventional units, or 12-300 µg/L in SI units. This value is measured in serum.

That band combines both sexes. Reported separately, men 24-336 ng/mL and women 11-307 ng/mL. A result inside the combined band can still be abnormal for the patient in front of you.

Source: Adult reference values compiled from Pagana & Pagana, Mosby's Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, and Fischbach & Dunning, A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. Reference ranges vary by laboratory, method, age, sex, and population - always use the range printed on the actual result.

Above the range

What causes a high Ferritin?

Iron overload / hemochromatosis
Inflammation or infection (acute-phase reactant)
Liver disease
Malignancy

What causes a high Ferritin? Read as its own page

Below the range

What causes a low Ferritin?

Iron-deficiency anemia (most specific test)

What causes a low Ferritin? Read as its own page

At the bedside

Nursing considerations

Reflects total body iron stores; a low ferritin is the earliest sign of iron deficiency.
Inflammation raises ferritin and can mask true deficiency.

Typical ranges: men ~24-336 and women ~11-307 µg/L.

PremiumDrill the Iron Studies deck

You have the Ferritin range. Premium unlocks the 5-card Iron Studies flashcard deck with mastery tracking, study sheets that put several panels on one printable page, and unlimited practice across all 440 quiz questions - the free round stops at 10 a day.

See Premium plans Free: the whole Iron Studies panel

Same panel

More Iron Studies tests

Serum Iron60-170 µg/dL Total Iron-Binding Capacity (TIBC)240-450 µg/dL Transferrin200-360 mg/dL Transferrin Saturation20-50 %