The Ferritin Level Test

The ferritin test may be the most important blood test you ever get, especially if you have a thyroid problem. When I began my training in the diagnosis and management of internal disorders immediately after graduation, one of the first things we studied heavily was blood chemistry analysis.  My teachers always stressed the importance of taking a careful look at iron levels in the blood and a rare test known as the ferritin test. What is ferritin? Ferritin is an iron-containing protein and is the primary form of iron stored inside your cells.  Even though there is a small amount of ferritin released into your bloodstream, it is an accurate marker of how much iron is actually stored in your body.  Iron is primarily stored in your liver, muscles, spleen and bone marrow but if you have too much it can accumulate in your organs and the brain. You either have too much iron, too little or just the right balance in your body and the ferritin test can give us an excellent picture of how much iron is actually stored in your body.  Iron is found in your red blood cells but it also accumulates in your organs and tissues. Iron is important for healthy oxygen transport throughout your body so you can see how vital it really is for your health.  Too little iron will result in anemia which basically means that your red blood cells cannot carry enough oxygen to your cells and you start to develop signs of oxygen deficiency.  Signs of anemia include: * Weakness * Dizziness * Headaches * Pale skin * Fatigue * Low body temperature * Memory loss * Hair loss * Poor brain function * Hypothyroidism * Adrenal fatigue * Spoon-shaped finger and toenails * Smooth tongue * Burning sensation in the tongue * Sores at the corners of the mouth * Dry skin * Shortness of breath * Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) * Leg pains * Chest pain * Pica (cravings for specific substances, such as licorice, chalk, dirt, or clay) Too much iron can have the opposite effect because iron creates a lot of oxidative stress which is basically too many free radicals that create inflammation.  These free radicals eat up your antioxidants like vitamin C and E creating deficiencies. Menstruating females lose a small amount of iron every month during their cycle so they tend not to build up too much iron in their bodies.  However, iron levels can get too low when your diet is deficient in iron and you have absorption issues due to things like gluten and gut infections.  I tend to see low ferritin levels quite a bit in chronically-ill women who are still cycling but it is also common in postmenopausal women who never restored their iron levels before entering menopause. Since men do not have a menstrual cycle, we are the most at risk for accumulating iron.  As iron builds-up in a man’s body he may develop the following symptoms as it accumulates in the brain and other body tissues (most of these also apply to women): * Brain fog * Fatigue * Low sex drive and erectile dysfunction (iron accumulates in the testicles) * Mood swings, especially anger * Digestive problems as iron builds-up in the gut * Anxiety * Depression * Fatigue after meals (insulin resistance) * Memory loss * Joint pain * Weight loss * Abdominal pain * Hair loss * Congestive heart failure Iron is extremely “heavy” in the bloodstream so it forces the heart to work harder as it pumps this heavy metal through your blood vessels resulting in blood pressure changes and mor...