Interpretation: Normal Iron Studies – No Iron Deficiency
Your iron studies are completely normal and do not indicate iron deficiency or any pathological condition requiring treatment. 1
Laboratory Values Analysis
Your results fall within normal reference ranges across all parameters:
- TIBC 246 mg/dL: Normal range is typically 240-450 mg/dL 1
- Iron saturation 30%: Well above the threshold for iron deficiency (>20% rules out deficiency) 1
- Ferritin 85 ng/mL: Comfortably above all diagnostic thresholds for iron deficiency 1
Why This is Not Iron Deficiency
Iron deficiency is definitively excluded by your ferritin level. In the absence of inflammation, iron deficiency requires ferritin <30 μg/L 1. Your ferritin of 85 ng/mL is nearly three times this threshold. 1
Even in the presence of chronic inflammation (where ferritin can be falsely elevated as an acute phase reactant), iron deficiency is only considered when ferritin is <100 μg/L 1. Your value sits right at this boundary, but your transferrin saturation of 30% clearly excludes functional iron deficiency, which requires TSAT <16-20% 1.
The combination of ferritin >30 μg/L AND transferrin saturation >20% definitively rules out both absolute and functional iron deficiency. 1
Clinical Context Matters
The interpretation would only differ if you have specific inflammatory conditions:
- Without inflammation: Ferritin >30 μg/L excludes iron deficiency 1
- With chronic inflammation (IBD, chronic kidney disease, heart failure): Ferritin up to 100 μg/L might still indicate deficiency, BUT only if TSAT is <16-20% 1
- Anemia of chronic disease: Diagnosed when ferritin >100 μg/L AND TSAT <20% 1
Your TSAT of 30% excludes all these scenarios. 1
No Treatment Indicated
No iron supplementation is needed or recommended. 1, 2
Iron therapy is only indicated when:
- Ferritin <30 μg/L in non-inflammatory states, OR 1
- Ferritin <100 μg/L with TSAT <16-20% in inflammatory conditions 1
Neither criterion applies to your case. Unnecessary iron supplementation can lead to iron overload, oxidative stress, and gastrointestinal side effects. 2, 3
Common Pitfall to Avoid
Do not misinterpret a TIBC of 246 mg/dL as "low." While this sits at the lower end of the reference range, TIBC must be interpreted alongside transferrin saturation and ferritin. 1, 3 A slightly lower TIBC with normal-to-high iron saturation and adequate ferritin indicates sufficient iron stores with appropriate iron utilization—not deficiency. 3
In iron deficiency, you would expect TIBC to be elevated (>450 mg/dL) as the body attempts to capture more circulating iron, combined with low TSAT (<16%) and low ferritin (<30 μg/L). 1, 3 Your pattern shows the opposite.