IRON DEFICIENCY (FERRITIN)

Iron Deficiency Test for early screening of Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA). The test is used to check your blood iron stores which works by testing a finger prick blood sample to check the ferritin level.

  • Easy to Use
  • Fingerstick whole blood
  • Clinically Tested Accuracy > 95%
  • Rapid Result
    in 5 mins.

Test Overview

Symptoms

Iron is used to make haemoglobin which is found in red blood cells. Haemoglobin is important for carrying oxygen around the body. If you don't have enough haemoglobin then your body is not going to get the oxygen it requires to function at its best. This low level of haemoglobin/red blood cells is called anaemia.
Iron is also important for the healthy growth of hair, skin and nails.

If you are iron deficient, then you can experience a wide variety of symptoms. These include:

  • Tiredness
  • Becoming fatigued quickly during exercise.
  • Looking pale
  • Memory problems
  • Brittle hair and nails
  • Poor concentration
  • Getting out of breath quicker than normal
  • Slow wound healing

FAQs

Iron is used to make haemoglobin which is found in red blood cells. Haemoglobin is important for carrying oxygen around the body. If you don't have enough haemoglobin then your body is not going to get the oxygen it requires to function at its best. This low level of haemoglobin/red blood cells is called anaemia.

Iron is also important for the healthy growth of hair, skin and nails.

 

If you are iron deficient, then you can experience a wide variety of symptoms. These include:

  • Tiredness
  • Becoming fatigued quickly during exercise.
  • Looking pale
  • Memory problems
  • Brittle hair and nails
  • Poor concentration
  • Getting out of breath quicker than normal
  • Slow wound healing.

If your iron deficiency goes untreated, then it can lead to other problems within your body, such as heart problems, liver problems and the ability to fight infections.

 
It is important to remember that for the vast majority of people iron deficiency is due to easily managed conditions, such as heavy periods or inadequate nutritional intake. Iron deficiency can also sometimes be caused by diseases such as stomach ulcers, inflammation of the bowel, and some cancers.
 
Yes: three things:
  1. Take Iron Supplements: these are available over the counter or as part of a prescription.
  2. Improve your diet: foods rich in iron include: Liver (do not eat during pregnancy), red meat, beans (such as red kidney beans, and chickpeas), nuts, and dried fruits.
  3. See your GP: if your iron deficiency/insufficiency is due to a disease, then you need to treat the disease.
 
It is important to find the cause of iron deficiency when it is diagnosed. It is likely your doctor will want to do further blood tests to check other things such as your kidney and liver function. They may also ask for a urine and poo sample.

If the cause is easily identified and treated, then further tests are not usually necessary, however if your doctor can’t find the cause, then you might need to go for further tests, such as scan or camera tests of your bowel.