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🧪 What Are Iron Studies?

Iron studies assess how much iron is in the blood and how well it is transported and stored. The key components are:

Serum Iron – Measures circulating iron bound to transferrin
TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity) – Reflects the blood’s capacity to bind iron with transferrin
Transferrin Saturation (%) – Calculated by:

Transferrin Saturation=(Serum IronTIBC)×100\text{Transferrin Saturation} = \left( \frac{\text{Serum Iron}}{\text{TIBC}} \right) \times 100Transferrin Saturation=(TIBCSerum Iron)×100

Shows the % of transferrin that is actually bound with iron

❓ Why Are They Done?

To:

Diagnose iron deficiency anemia or chronic anemia
Detect iron overload (e.g., hemochromatosis, thalassemia)
Evaluate causes of fatigue, pallor, hair loss, or restless leg syndrome
Monitor iron therapy
Assess iron metabolism in chronic kidney or liver disease

📊 Normal Ranges

Parameter	Normal Range
Serum Iron	60 – 170 µg/dL
TIBC	240 – 450 µg/dL
Transferrin Saturation	20 – 50%

Ranges may vary slightly between labs. Women and children may have slightly lower levels.

📈 Interpretation of Results

Pattern	Iron	TIBC	Transferrin Sat	Interpretation
Iron Deficiency Anemia	↓	↑	↓	Poor iron availability
Anemia of Chronic Disease	↓	↓ or normal	↓	Inflammation reduces iron absorption
Hemochromatosis (Iron Overload)	↑	↓ or normal	↑ > 60%	Too much iron absorption
Pregnancy / Oral Contraceptives Use	↓	↑	↓	Due to increased TIBC
Malnutrition / Liver Disease	↓	↓	↓ or normal	Low production of transferrin

🧠 Associated Organs & Conditions

System	Conditions
Hematologic	Iron deficiency anemia, hemolytic anemia, thalassemia
Liver	Hemochromatosis, hepatitis, cirrhosis
Kidney	Anemia in chronic kidney disease
Gastrointestinal	Bleeding ulcers, celiac disease, malabsorption
Reproductive	Heavy menstruation, pregnancy-related anemia

🔄 Follow-Up / Related Tests

Ferritin – Reflects iron stores (↓ in deficiency, ↑ in overload/inflammation)
Hemoglobin (Hb), Hematocrit
Reticulocyte count
Vitamin B12 & Folate
Peripheral smear
Stool occult blood – For GI blood loss

✅ Fasting Required?

Test	Fasting Required
Iron Studies	✅ Yes – 8–12 hours fasting (for most accurate serum iron and TIBC)

📝 Summary Table

Parameter	Details
What	Measures circulating iron, binding capacity, and saturation
Why	Diagnose anemia, iron overload, or malabsorption
Serum Iron Normal	60–170 µg/dL
TIBC Normal	240–450 µg/dL
Transferrin Saturation Normal	20–50%
High TSAT	Iron overload (e.g., hemochromatosis)
Low TSAT	Iron deficiency, inflammation, malnutrition
Follow-up Tests	Ferritin, Hb, RBC indices, stool occult blood
Associated Conditions	Anemia, chronic inflammation, liver disease
Fasting Required	✅ Yes

Iron Studies (Iron,TIBC, Transferrin saturation)

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