The Ferritin Levels and How You Should Manage It

 Your body functions properly with the right amount of iron as it helps in carrying oxygen to the other parts of the body. A deficiency of iron makes it difficult for the Red Blood Cells to transfer oxygen to the other part of the body. Moreover, a lack of iron makes the immune system weaker and reduces the ability to fight against various diseases. 

The ferritin level plays an important role in the body and any fluctuation leads to dysfunction of the body. The test for checking ferritin levels gives you a clear picture of the level of iron in the body. 

Ferritin is basically a protein for storing iron which a body needs in circulating blood throughout the body. It is mostly found in the liver and a person needs to have the right amount of ferritin present in the body. 

Let’s take a glance over the importance of a ferritin blood test and why you need it. 

Purpose of Ferritin Test 

A ferritin blood test determines the level of iron in the body and checks for any malfunctioning. In case you feel an abnormal health condition, the doctor might suggest a ferritin test to detect your health problems. 

There can be two types of conditions, one which leads to an abnormal increase in the level of iron and the other in which the level of iron falls below the normal rate. 

Both conditions have different symptoms, as ferritin is mostly found in the cells of the liver, you may also need it when you have any chronic liver health condition. 

The people who are mostly at risk of iron deficiency:- 

• When you are underweight

• The heavy flow of blood during period

• During pregnancy

• Inflammatory disease

Symptoms of Low Level of Iron and Ferritin in the Body

The symptoms of a low level of Iron are:- 

• Weakness

• Dizziness

• Pale skin

• Increase in heart rate 

• Shortening of breath 

Symptoms of High Level of Iron and Ferritin in the Body

The symptoms of the high level of iron are:- 

• Heart health issues

• Low sex drive 

• Loss of body’s hair

• Joint and muscle pain

• Pain in the abdomen

If you ever faced such symptoms, you must move to your nearest pathology lab for a ferritin test. 

Reason Behind Iron Deficiency 

The reason behind the loss of iron in the body are as follows:- 

Loss of Blood 

Your blood contains iron and a loss of blood during a cut or severe injury means iron deficiency. Women who experience the heavy flow of blood during menstruation are more at risk of iron deficiency. Besides, hernia, peptic ulcer, and colorectal cancer lead to loss of blood slowly and cause anemia.  

Diet 

A lack of iron-rich foods in your diet leads to iron deficiency or elevated iron levels in the body. Your diet must contain iron-rich foods in moderate quantities, not too less and not too much. A little amount of iron in the food leads to iron deficiency in the body while a high amount of iron leads to an increase in the iron level more than the normal rate. 

Meats, eggs, and green leafy vegetables are good sources of iron which is essential for the growth and development of the body, especially for infants and young ones. 

The inability of the Body to Absorb Iron 

The absorption of iron takes place from the bloodstream of the small intestine and intestinal disease like celiac disease makes the body unable to absorb iron. The inability of the body to absorb iron leads to anemia. To get rid of this situation the doctor removes the affected part of the small intestine through surgery otherwise it could lead to an increase in health issues. 

Pregnancy 

Iron deficiency is common in pregnant women as iron supplies blood at a faster rate than before for the growing baby inside the womb. Therefore, a pregnant woman needs iron supplements to be safe from the situation of iron deficiency. 

In case, you are going through the same issue, you need a ferritin test, know the ferritin test cost online and choose the best diagnostic center for the test. 

Factors That Show You are at a Risk of Iron Deficiency

The following factors show that you can fall prey to iron deficiency:- 

• Generally, women fall prey to iron deficiency as they lose a huge amount of blood during menstruation. Moreover, the heavy flow of blood during menstrual is mainly responsible for iron deficiency in women. 

• Not being biased, but vegetarian people often face the situation of iron deficiency as their diet lacks iron-rich foods. But, the inclusion of green leafy vegetables, lentils, and legumes could help balance the level of iron in the body. 

• Children need iron for the proper growth and development of the body. During the growing age of children, they need proper nutrition to be safe from the state of lack of iron in the body. 

• Blood donors sometimes face iron deficiency in the body. It is good to donate blood but simultaneously, you need to have a proper diet containing iron-rich food or you might get closer to the risk of iron deficiency. 

Takeaway

Now that you are aware of the ill effects of lack of iron in the body, you need to pay more attention to yourself.  If you are suffering from any health issues due to a lack of iron, you must take a ferritin blood test to know the reason for your worsening health condition. 

Make your diet healthy to lead a healthy diet and prevent diseases like anemia which is caused due to lack of iron in the body. Your health is the first and foremost thing to be taken care of and it is the greatest gift from God. Hence, you must take care of your health.