What are iron tests?
Iron tests measure different substances in the blood to check iron levels in your body. Iron is a mineral that's essential for making red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Iron is also important for healthy muscles, bone marrow, and organ function. Iron levels that are too low or too high can cause serious health problems.
Different types of iron tests include:
Serum iron test, which measures the amount of iron in the blood
Transferrin test, which measures transferrin, a protein that moves iron throughout the body
Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), which measures how well iron attaches to transferrin and other proteins in the blood
Ferritin blood test, which measures how much iron is stored in the body
Some or all of these tests are often ordered at the same time.
Other names: Fe tests, iron indices
