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The results may indicate that a person has too little, too much, or a healthy amount of this mineral. Iron overload, also known as haemochromatosis, occurs when your body absorbs too much iron from the food you eat. This can sometimes lead to liver disease, heart problems and diabetes. Another method to up your levels of iron naturally is to do cooking in utensils made with cast iron.
It also delivers carbon dioxide back from your organs and tissues to your lungs. A person should interpret their results with the help of a healthcare professional. If a blood test shows that a person’s iron levels are too high or too low, a doctor will be able to offer advice and recommend treatment options. So what happens when there is not enough iron in the body? To detect blood hemoglobin level, a user first takes a picture of fingernails using a smartphone with the anemia detection app.
What role does Iron have to play in the body?
Iron is generally stored in the form of a protein known as ferritin, so physicians do a test to find the quantity of ferritin present in blood. This test helps in identifying cases of anemia due to iron deficiency. The test results are analyzed for determining whether a person has iron deficiency or not.
If you’re deficient in ferritin, you may deplete iron more quickly than someone with typical ferritin stores. However, you should talk with your doctor when you receive the results. They can help you interpret them and confirm a diagnosis of anemia or other condition.
The 3 Best Iron Deficiency Tests Of 2022 To Check Your Levels At Home
After the needle is inserted, a small amount of blood will be collected into a test tube or vial. You may feel a little sting when the needle goes in or out. Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. The content on Healthgrades does not provide medical advice. Always consult a medical provider for diagnosis and treatment. Results interpretation is slightly different for this test.
And while, yes, they are clinically different, iron deficiency can be a precursor to iron-deficient anemia. According to Mandal, the safest and most accurate way to check your iron is to have your blood drawn and analyzed by a lab. In fact, one study showed that blood samples from finger-prick tests were less concentrated than lab-taken samples, and blood counts can vary from drop to drop. A doctor may order all of these tests to get a complete picture of the iron levels in your body.
Why do I need an iron test?
Secondary iron overload can result from excessive dietary protein consumption, long-term kidney dialysis, certain types of anemia, or chronic liver disease. When a doctor orders an iron test, they often order several tests at a time. The combined results can help a doctor determine whether a person has low, normal, or high levels of iron in their blood. If you suspect you might have some symptoms of abnormal iron levels, it’s important to find out more. As there are no-known at home remedies to accurately check iron levels from home, the best way to check is with an at-home iron test. If you’re feeling tired or fatigued, then you may not be supplying your body with enough iron.
For instance, many breads and breakfast cereals are iron fortified and can provide a boost to your levels of iron. This test uses blood samples to measure hemoglobin and RBC count. It also uses the finger prick method to collect the test sample without needing to send it to a lab. In clinical practice, doctors and healthcare providers check for anemia on a person’s routine physical exam and perform the test. Also, they ask about the health conditions and medical and family history.
Measurement of biomarkers in the blood, such as ferritin, is a simple and more reliable indicator of iron deficiency anaemia compared with the traditional full blood count. You may need to take iron supplements for several months or longer to replenish your iron reserves. Generally, you'll start to feel better after a week or so of treatment. Ask your doctor when to have your blood rechecked to measure your iron levels. To be sure that your iron reserves are replenished, you may need to take iron supplements for a year or more. Iron deficiency anemia occurs when iron deficiency is severe enough to reduce the production of red blood cells.
When food is heated in a container made of metal, some part of the metal gets into the food. It has been reported that foods enriched with iron are used in countries where anemia due to iron deficiency is a major concern. Iron fortified foods have helped in the reduction of anemia complications, especially in children. This test checks your ferritin levels which is the recommended marker to test for iron deficiency. Most conditions that cause too little or too much iron can be successfully treated with iron supplements, diet, medicines, and/or other therapies. A health care professional will take a blood sample from a vein in your arm, using a small needle.
They can order additional tests to check for iron deficiency. A variety of tests can diagnose iron deficiency anemia. Some people may wish to buy at-home tests that process samples in CLIA-approved or CAP-accredited laboratories. If a company sends the samples to these laboratories, it means that the technicians follow guidelines that reduce the risk of invalid test results.
Iron is an important mineral that is necessary for a healthy body 2. Iron helps produce the oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and myoglobin. Persistent low iron levels are more pronounced in menstruating, pregnant or lactating women, vegetarians, long-distance runners, and people with bleeding ulcers.
This iron testing service is run in collaboration with our trusted partners at Forth – a leading UK biomarker testing company. By completing this test, you agree to securely share your data with BetterYou and Forth in line with our privacy policy. The standard ferritin range for men lies between 24 to 336 micrograms per liter (mcg/L).
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