Iron

The Iron test is a diagnostic tool used to evaluate the concentration of iron in the bloodstream. Iron is an essential mineral involved in various physiological processes, including oxygen transport, energy metabolism, and DNA synthesis. The majority of iron in the body is bound to hemoglobin within red blood cells, where it plays a crucial role in oxygen transport. Iron is also stored in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin in tissues such as the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. The Iron test measures the total amount of iron in the blood, which includes both bound iron (hemoglobin-bound iron and iron stored in ferritin) and unbound iron (transferrin-bound iron). Abnormalities in iron levels can indicate underlying health conditions, such as iron deficiency anemia (characterized by low iron levels) or iron overload disorders (characterized by high iron levels), including hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis.