All About Iron and Ferritin Tests

[Nelson Vergel]

• Introduction:
  • Key Roles of Iron in the Body
• Normal Iron Balance:
  • Iron Absorption in the Small Intestine
    • Heme iron
    • Non-heme iron
  • Iron Reabsorption through Red Blood Cell Recycling
  • Normal Iron Loss
• Iron Blood Tests
  • 1) Serum ferritin
  • 2) Blood Iron
  • 3) Total Iron-Binding Capacity
  • 4) Unsaturated Iron-Binding Capacity
  • 5) Transferrin Saturation
  • 6) Red Cell Zinc Protoporphyrin
  • 7) Serum Transferrin Receptor
• Causes of Iron Deficiency
  • 1) Insufficient Dietary Iron Intake
  • 2) Inadequate Iron Absorption
  • 3) Increased Iron Demand
  • 4) Increased iron losses
  • 5) Other causes
  • High risk groups for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia
• Anemias Associated with Low Iron Levels