Quick answer: the ferritin normal range is about 30 to 400 ng/mL for men and 13 to 150 ng/mL for women (MedlinePlus); Cleveland Clinic lists 30 to 566 ng/mL and 15 to 205 ng/mL. A ferritin under 45 ng/mL is the AGA's cutoff for iron deficiency in people with anemia. At the other end, WHO says over 150 ng/mL in menstruating women or over 200 ng/mL in men may signal a risk of iron overload in otherwise healthy people. ng/mL and mcg/L are the same number.
Ferritin normal range
| Threshold | Ferritin (ng/mL) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Normal, men | 30 to 400 | MedlinePlus |
| Normal, women | 13 to 150 | MedlinePlus |
| Normal, men / women | 30 to 566 / 15 to 205 | Cleveland Clinic |
| Iron deficiency (in anemia) | Under 45 | AGA guideline, 2020 |
| Iron deficiency with infection or inflammation, adults | Under 70 | WHO guideline, 2020 |
| Possible iron overload risk, healthy adults | Over 150 (menstruating women), over 200 (men and other women) | WHO guideline, 2020 |
The AGA raised its cutoff from 15 to 45 ng/mL because 15 missed too many cases: across 55 studies, 45 ng/mL caught 85% of iron deficiency with 92% specificity, versus 59% and 99% for the old cutoff.
MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic reference ranges. The AGA uses under 45 ng/mL to diagnose iron deficiency in people with anemia.
What is ferritin?
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron inside your cells, and the small amount in the blood tracks how much iron you have in reserve. Hemoglobin, the usual anemia screen, is neither sensitive nor specific for iron deficiency (NIH ODS), so ferritin is the better check on stores. It is not the same as serum iron, which measures iron in transit and swings more from day to day.
Ferritin is also an inflammation marker. It rises with infection, inflammation and liver disease, which can hide a real iron shortage. That is why WHO uses a higher deficiency cutoff (under 70 ng/mL) when inflammation is present, and why reading ferritin next to hs-CRP helps.
What low ferritin means
Low ferritin means your iron stores are running down. MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic list the usual causes:
- Heavy menstrual periods or other blood loss, including bleeding in the gut
- Not enough iron in the diet
- Poor absorption of iron from food, medicines or supplements
- Pregnancy and frequent blood donation
In men and in women after menopause, iron deficiency needs an explanation: the AGA guideline recommends examining both the upper and lower gut in men and postmenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia. Do not self-treat with iron without a doctor.
Worked example: a "normal" ferritin of 22
Say a 34-year-old woman with heavy periods and constant tiredness gets a ferritin of 22 ng/mL, and a blood count shows mild anemia. Her lab flags nothing: 22 sits inside both the MedlinePlus (13 to 150) and Cleveland Clinic (15 to 205) ranges for women. But with anemia present, 22 is under half the AGA's 45 ng/mL cutoff for iron deficiency, the cutoff that caught 85% of cases across the studies the AGA reviewed.
What might explain it: heavy periods are first on the MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic list of causes, and intake below the RDA of 18 mg a day for women 19 to 50 (NIH ODS) makes it harder to keep up.
Questions to take to her doctor:
- Is this iron deficiency, and should we check the full iron panel and hs-CRP to rule out inflammation?
- What is causing the heavy periods, and can that be treated?
- Should I take iron, at what dose, and when should ferritin be rechecked?
What high ferritin means
High ferritin is more often inflammation than too much iron. MedlinePlus and Cleveland Clinic list:
- Liver disease, including fatty liver and alcohol-related damage (see ALT and GGT)
- Inflammation from autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, or infection
- Chronic conditions such as kidney disease and diabetes
- Hemochromatosis (inherited iron overload) and frequent transfusions
- An overactive thyroid and some cancers
A doctor will usually look at iron saturation and liver tests next, which helps separate true iron overload from inflammation or liver disease.
What moves ferritin
- Iron intake: the RDA is 8 mg a day for men and 18 mg for women aged 19 to 50 (NIH ODS).
- Blood loss: heavy periods and blood donation lower it.
- Inflammation and alcohol: both push it up regardless of iron stores.
- Supplements: iron pills raise ferritin, but too much iron is harmful. Take them only on your doctor's advice.
How to test ferritin
MedlinePlus says your provider may ask you to fast for 12 hours and to test in the morning. Avoid testing during an infection, since that can raise ferritin. The FDA has warned that biotin supplements can interfere with some lab tests, and ferritin is among the assays with reported interference, so tell the lab if you take biotin.
Which at-home tests include ferritin
Ferritin is on four SiPhox panels: Longevity Essentials, Thyroid Focus, Ultimate 360 and GLP Optimization. Heart & Metabolic and Hormone Focus do not include it.
| SiPhox panel | Biomarkers per test | Per test, with shipping | Listed as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longevity Essentials | 31 | $149 | Ferritin (Nutrition) |
| Thyroid Focus | 21 | $149 | Ferritin (Nutrition) |
| Ultimate 360 | 62 | $274 | Ferritin (Nutrition) |
| GLP Optimization | 46 | $224 | Ferritin (Nutrition) |
Only Ultimate 360 and GLP Optimization add a full iron panel (serum iron, TIBC, UIBC and iron saturation), which is what a doctor needs to separate iron overload from inflammation. Longevity Essentials has ferritin and hemoglobin but not the rest. Collection is at home from the upper arm, and there is no included doctor review. More in our SiPhox review and at-home thyroid test guide, since low iron and thyroid problems share symptoms.
Longevity Essentials
The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.
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Thyroid Focus
A full thyroid workup including both thyroid antibodies, plus core lipids.
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Ultimate 360
Everything on the four core panels plus iron studies, B12 and folate, GGT and PSA.
Check price
Frequently asked questions
What is a normal ferritin level for a woman?
MedlinePlus gives 13 to 150 ng/mL; Cleveland Clinic gives 15 to 205 ng/mL. Ranges vary by lab, and a value under 45 ng/mL with anemia suggests iron deficiency (AGA).
What is a normal ferritin level for a man?
About 30 to 400 ng/mL (MedlinePlus) or 30 to 566 ng/mL (Cleveland Clinic), depending on the lab.
What ferritin level means iron deficiency?
The American Gastroenterological Association uses under 45 ng/mL. If you have infection or inflammation, WHO uses under 70 ng/mL for adults, because inflammation raises ferritin.
What causes high ferritin?
Most often inflammation, liver disease (including fatty liver and alcohol), kidney disease or diabetes. Iron overload from hemochromatosis or transfusions is less common but important to rule out.
Is ferritin the same as iron?
No. Ferritin reflects stored iron; serum iron measures iron circulating at that moment. Ferritin is the better single marker of iron stores.
Sources
- MedlinePlus: Ferritin blood test
- Cleveland Clinic: Ferritin test
- Ko CW et al. AGA clinical practice guidelines on the gastrointestinal evaluation of iron deficiency anemia. Gastroenterology 2020
- WHO guideline on use of ferritin concentrations to assess iron status in individuals and populations (2020)
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Iron fact sheet for health professionals
- FDA: Testing for biotin interference in in vitro diagnostic devices (guidance)
- SiPhox Health: panel comparison and biomarker lists (checked 29 Sep 2026)