Dangerously low ferritin levels are when your ferritin levels are below 15 ng/mL for adults.
When your ferritin levels are below 10 ng/mL your ferritin levels are considered to be severely depleted.
Ferritin in the body is a specialized protein, which safely stores iron inside of your cells and then releases it when the body needs it.
Measuring your body's blood ferritin levels also indicates your total iron reserves.
And having low ferritin levels also points to an iron deficiency like anemia, and high ferritin levels can indicate you have iron overload or systemic inflammation.
The reason why the ferritin levels matters in the body and why ferritin itself matters is because iron is vital to the body for producing red blood cells and transporting oxygen, although it can also be highly toxic in it's free state.
Ferritin also acts as the body's "iron storage closet," safely sequestering the mineral to prevent cellular damage while also keeping it available for essential bodily functions.
A ferritin blood test is used to measure the concentration of the ferritin protein in your blood to give your doctor an accurate picture of your body's stored iron.
And the ferritin blood test is often ordered alongside tests like a Complete Blood Count or CBC or Total Iron Binding Capacity or TIBC.
The typical ferritin reference ranges can vary slightly between each laboratory but are often the following reference ranges:
Men: Typically 20 to 500 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) (or up to 336 mcg/L depending on the lab)
Women: Typically 20 to 200 ng/mL (or 11 to 307 mcg/L)
Test results for ferritin levels below the standard above reference range mean that your iron reserves are depleted.
Depleted iron levels are most commonly caused by heavy menstrual bleeding, poor dietary iron absorption, or even pregnancy.
The symptoms of low iron levels include:
Restless leg syndrome.
Shortness of breath.
And unexplained fatigue and weakness.
Results higher than the expected ferritin ranges can indicate you have an accumulation of excess iron or it may even signal an underlying health issue.
Having elevated levels of ferritin can also be caused by conditions like Hemochromatosis, which is a genetic disorder that causes iron overload, chronic inflammation, liver disease or even alcohol misuse.
When your ferritin dips to dangerous levels, the body lacks the reserve it needs to produce hemoglobin, which results in symptoms like:
Chronic, severe fatigue and weakness.
Pale skin.
Dizziness or lightheadedness.
Headaches and brain fog.
Shortness of breath.
And fast or irregular heartbeat.
Key Details on the body's Ferritin Levels include the following:
Normal Ranges of ferritin: Standard reference ranges of ferritin typically fall between 20 to 200 ng/mL for women and 20 to 500 ng/mL for men.
Absolute Iron Deficiency: Any value under 12 ng/mL in children and 15 ng/mL in adults as absolute iron deficiency.
Many experts also now consider levels of ferritin under 30 ng/mL to indicate depleted stores.
"Normal" Labs Can Still Be Low: You can have "iron deficiency without anemia".
If your hemoglobin is normal but your ferritin is under 30 ng/mL, you may still experience severe symptoms.
Inflammation Caveat: Ferritin is an "acute-phase reactant," meaning it can temporarily rise during periods of infection, chronic inflammation, or illness.
In these cases, a "normal" ferritin reading can falsely mask severe iron deficiency.