Description of the blood Analysis: 

Serum iron measures the amount of iron circulating in your blood that is bound to a protein called transferrin. Iron is a vital mineral that your body needs to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. It is also essential for muscle function, energy production, and cell growth.

What Does the Analysis Represent?

• Goal: To check if you have enough iron to maintain healthy blood and organ function.
• Main Application: Diagnosing iron-deficiency anemia, identifying iron overload (hemochromatosis), and monitoring the effectiveness of iron supplements.
• Biological Process: It reflects the balance between iron absorbed from your diet and the iron being used or stored by the body.

Recommendations for the Test (General)

• Fasting: Mandatory. You must fast for 8–12 hours. Iron levels vary significantly throughout the day (highest in the morning) and are affected by recent meals.
• Timing: It is strongly recommended to have the blood drawn in the morning for the most accurate and consistent results.
• Supplements: Stop taking iron supplements or multivitamins containing iron for at least 24 hours before the test.
• Material: Venous blood (serum).

What Can Affect the Results?

• Diurnal Variation: Iron levels naturally fluctuate; they are usually much higher in the morning than in the evening.
• Recent Transfusions: A recent blood transfusion will artificially inflate iron levels.
• Inflammation/Infection: Acute illness can temporarily lower iron levels as the body “hides” iron to prevent bacteria from using it.
• Medications: Birth control pills can increase iron levels, while certain antibiotics and aspirin can lower them.

When to Take the Test?

• Anemia Symptoms: Constant fatigue, weakness, pale skin, cold hands and feet, or shortness of breath.
• Overload Symptoms: Joint pain, abdominal pain, or a bronze/gray skin tint (signs of iron “poisoning”).
• Screening: During pregnancy or for patients with heavy menstrual cycles.
• Chronic Disease: If you have chronic kidney disease or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

How to Interpret the Results?

Important: Serum iron must be evaluated by a doctor together with ferritin and TIBC to diagnose anemia accurately. High Iron: Can be a sign of iron overload or frequent blood transfusions. Low Iron: Often points toward iron deficiency anemia, but a doctor must rule out chronic disease or blood loss as the cause

Possible Further Investigations

• Ferritin: The most important follow-up test. It measures your body’s iron stores. You can have low stores even if your serum iron looks normal.
• TIBC (Total Iron-Binding Capacity): Measures how well transferrin (the “taxi”) can carry iron. In iron deficiency, TIBC is usually high.
• Transferrin Saturation: A calculation showing what percentage of the “taxis” are currently filled with iron.
• Complete Blood Count (CBC): To check the size and color of your red blood cells (Microcytic anemia).

When Does the Next Step Make Sense? 

The next step is necessary if your iron is low and you are experiencing fatigue. However, taking iron supplements without a full “Iron Panel” (including Ferritin) can be dangerous because too much iron is toxic to the heart and liver. Always confirm with a Ferritin test to see if your actual reserves are empty before starting treatment.

👉 If necessary, you can discuss the results of the analysis with a specialist, such as a Hematologist (Doctors – TAMC), Gastroenterologist (Doctors – TAMC).