Normal Ferritin Levels
Normal serum ferritin levels are approximately 15-200 μg/L for adult men and 15-150 μg/L for adult women, though these ranges vary by laboratory and measurement platform.
Sex-Specific Reference Ranges
The most recent high-quality evidence from 2026 provides updated reference ranges for older adults (≥70 years) using the Abbott Alinity platform: 23-741 μg/L for men and 19-440 μg/L for women 1. Another 2026 study using the Roche Cobas e801 platform established ranges of 98-998 μg/L for males, 10-300 μg/L for females ≤50 years, and 37-507 μg/L for females >50 years 2.
Historical research from the 1970s-1980s established foundational ranges that remain clinically relevant:
- Men: 21-447 μg/L (geometric mean 98 μg/L) 3 or mean of 69-93 ng/mL 4, 5
- Women: 5-76 μg/L for menstruating women 6, 26-279 μg/L for non-menstruating women 3, or mean of 34-35 ng/mL 5, 4
Clinical Interpretation for Iron Deficiency
For diagnosing iron deficiency, ferritin thresholds are more clinically relevant than "normal" ranges:
- <15 μg/L: Highly specific for iron deficiency (specificity 0.99) and indicates absent iron stores 7
- <30 μg/L: Generally indicative of low body iron stores 7
- <45 μg/L: Recommended cut-off by the 2024 AGA guideline for optimal balance of sensitivity and specificity in anemic individuals 8, and provides specificity of 0.92 7
Critical Caveat: Inflammatory Conditions
Ferritin is an acute phase reactant, so apparently "normal" levels may mask iron deficiency in inflammatory states. In patients with chronic disease, inflammation, or malignancy, iron deficiency can exist with ferritin levels between 45-100 μg/L 8. Ferritin >150 μg/L is unlikely to represent absolute iron deficiency even with inflammation 7.
When inflammation is suspected, consider confirmatory testing with transferrin saturation, soluble transferrin receptor, or reticulocyte hemoglobin 8.
Age and Menstrual Status Considerations
Ferritin levels increase with age in women but remain relatively stable in men. The 2026 study identified age 50 as the optimal cut-off for females, with significantly higher levels in postmenopausal women 2. Menstruating women with menstrual duration ≥4 days typically have ferritin <30 μg/L 3.
Platform-Specific Variations
Reference ranges vary significantly by measurement platform and laboratory. The ranges provided above are platform-specific (Abbott Alinity, Roche Cobas e801) and should be interpreted using your local laboratory's established reference intervals 1, 2.