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Transferrin

Transferrin

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This protein is the major carrier of iron atoms in the blood. It tends to run high in iron deficiency and rather low when there's liver disease or bad longlasting infection. The percent of transferrin molecules ("saturation") that carry an iron atom is a good way of spotting iron deficiency or overload if the patient hasn't recently popped an iron pill.

Dr. Ed Friedlander reviewed this

46 year experience in Pathology

Tests for

Iron deficiency anemia
Condition
Alcoholic hepatitis
Condition
Alcoholic liver disease
Condition
Hypoparathyroidism
Condition
Iron overload (hemochromatosis)
Condition

Related questions

A 30-year old asked:

What do transferrin levels mean?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 28-year old male asked:

What is the definition or description of: transferrin?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 41-year old asked:

Any idea why my transferrin is dropping?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 20-year old female asked:

My iron level is 59 , ubc is 325, tibc is 384 and transferrin sat is 15.4. Are these normal?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 26-year old female asked:

Generally speaking, what does very low transferrin and high TIBC indicate & how do you treat it?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

I did iron tests and found that my Transferrin level is high 4.3 and standard is 2.5-3.8 what does that mean?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 42-year old asked:

Whats meaning of low transferrin saturation?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 26-year old male asked:

Is a transferrin saturation of 23% low for a man?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 32-year old asked:

What does this mean as a blood test: transferrin?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 20-year old female asked:

Where do providers typically like to see iron and transferrin sat levels?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 56-year old female asked:

Iron high at 178 (40-150), TIBC high normal at 439 (261-478). Sometimes both are high. What causes this? % transferrin sat 41; ferritin 50 (11-204)

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 47-year old asked:

What do low transferrin levels mean on your lab results?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 44-year old female asked:

How long do results take for the beta 2 transferrin test of my nasal fluid?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 22-year old male asked:

What does a bit low serum iron and low transferrin mean in ferritin is normal?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A female asked:

I have hemochromatosis but my iron levels are Ferritin 8 Iron 7 Transferrin 2.1 Transferrin Sat 13?

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 38-year old female asked:

My serum iron is elevated at 32umol/L and transferrin sat 58% . Could this be haemochromotosis? Would it cause symptoms?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 25-year old female asked:

Got iron test done. Iron was 37, Transferrin was 309.0 but Iron saturation was only 9. What does this mean and should I be worried?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 19-year old female asked:

Did a transferrin saturation test without fasting at around 2pm.Will it help to diagnose hemochromatosis? Will the results be atleast fairly accurate?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 19-year old female asked:

Transferrin saturation test was done without fasting and in the afternoon. Will it help to diagnose hemochromatosis? I was told fasting was not needed

2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in

A 26-year old female asked:

19 moth old ferritin 7(2-291), iron 61(40-100) iron binding capcity unsat 470(110-370), total iron binding capcity 531(228-428) transferrin%sat 11(15-57?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 41-year old female asked:

My results are serum iron 4(10-33) and my transferrin saturation is 8%

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 44-year old female asked:

How much nasal fluid is required for beta 2 transferrin test? Ounces? Milliliters?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 31-year old female asked:

What does a low result for unbound IBC mean? My iron, transferrin saturation and IBC are all wnl.

1 doctor answer • 3 doctors weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

Is beta 2 transferrin more stable than Beta trace protein. (Storage, temperature and stability wise) ?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 42-year old female asked:

Iron 73, transferrin 302, tibc 447 saturated iron 16, ferritin 10, hgb 11.4. What does this indicate in 42yo female?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

Cbc is ok, but iron is 56, transferrin is 400, total ibc is 500, uibc is 444, iron %trans sat is 11. What could this mean?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 65-year old female asked:

My followup labs came back Iron 186, TIBC 272, Transferrin sat 68 and Ferritin 97.8. Should I still feel reassured about my lab values?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

A 27-year old female asked:

Ferritin 4.6 , iron 27 , transferrin saturation 6 , tibc 437 . . . Is everything is low why is tibc high? What does this mean ? What do I do now?

2 doctor answers • 2 doctors weighed in

A 32-year old female asked:

Recent blood test has Transferrin saturation 6% and I have been advised that this is extremely low. What does the Transferrin saturation mean/do?

1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

A 26-year old female asked:

Beta 2 transferrin and Beta Trace Protein samples. Some say have to be tested within 4 hours. Some research shows stable for 7 days. Do you agree?

1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

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