A low ferritin usually points to a low iron store in your body. What is special is that ferritin often drops before your haemoglobin does. So a shortage of iron can be visible even before there is anaemia.
We notice that people mix up ferritin and iron. Below we calmly explain the difference, and what nuance goes with it.
Put simply: serum iron shows how much iron is circulating in your blood right now, while ferritin shows how much you have in store. That store is the best early signal. That is why, with persistent fatigue, ferritin is often the first value a doctor looks at.
What does a low ferritin mean?
Ferritin is the protein that stores iron in your body. The amount of ferritin in your blood therefore says something about your iron store. A low value means that store is small, which can fit fatigue, hair loss and concentration problems, even when your haemoglobin is still normal.
The Dutch Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) names meat, wholegrain products, legumes and green vegetables as sources of iron. Your body usually absorbs iron from animal products more easily than iron from plant sources.
Why does ferritin drop earlier than haemoglobin?
Your body first uses the stored iron reserve before the production of red blood cells suffers. As a result ferritin drops first, while the haemoglobin stays normal for a while. Ferritin is thus an early measure of a looming iron shortage (Camaschella, 2015).
| Value | What it shows | The order |
|---|---|---|
| Ferritin | Your iron store | Drops first |
| Serum iron | Iron in the blood right now | Shifts by the day |
| Haemoglobin | Oxygen transport in the blood | Drops only later |
That is why ferritin can clarify what a single haemoglobin value does not yet show.
What nuance goes with a ferritin value?
Ferritin is also an inflammation protein. During an infection or inflammation the value can rise temporarily, even while your iron store is actually low. So a normal-looking ferritin can mask a shortage. The World Health Organization (WHO) therefore describes that ferritin is always looked at in context.
That is exactly why a result is worth a conversation and not a final verdict. At Levenswijs a doctor registered in the Dutch BIG register reviews every result.
You can have your ferritin measured via the ferritin blood value, or together with vitamins and iron via the Levenswijs Vitamin and Iron Panel.
When is measuring worthwhile with age?
With persistent fatigue, a pale colour or hair loss, ferritin can help to bring a low iron store into view early. With age, blood loss and lower absorption play a part more often, so the store drops slowly.
My advice: always have an out-of-range ferritin assessed by your GP, certainly if you also have other complaints. Do not start taking iron yourself without discussion, because too much iron is also not good.
Do you notice persistent tiredness? Then also read about anaemia in older adults, or the piece on zinc deficiency. Want the bigger picture? Then read the pillar on vitamins and minerals after 60.
Where is iron found in your diet?
Iron is in meat, fish, wholegrain products, legumes and green vegetables. Iron from animal products, also called haem iron, is usually absorbed more easily by your body than iron from plant sources. A little vitamin C with the meal can improve the absorption of plant iron.
Do you eat mainly plant-based? Then variety is extra important, and it can help to combine iron-rich products with vegetables or fruit that provide vitamin C.
The Dutch Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) describes which products contain a lot of iron and how you can support absorption. With a smaller appetite at an older age, this can become harder.
What can you do yourself with a low value?
A low ferritin is mainly a reason to look further calmly, not to start taking iron yourself right away. A cause such as blood loss deserves attention, and you do not find that with a supplement.
Too much iron is also not good, certainly not if you take it without reason. That is why using iron with a low value belongs in a conversation with your GP.
My advice: have a low ferritin assessed by your GP and follow their advice. A blood test at Levenswijs can support that conversation with clear figures.
Frequently asked questions
Below are the questions we hear most often about ferritin later in life.
References
- Camaschella C. Iron-deficiency anemia. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(19):1832-1843. PMID: 25946282.
- World Health Organization. WHO guideline on use of ferritin concentrations to assess iron status. Geneva, 2020. who.int.
- Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum). Iron. Accessed 2026. voedingscentrum.nl.
Would you like to have your ferritin and iron checked at a calm moment, without first booking an appointment with your GP? At Levenswijs Health you can. Every result is reviewed by a doctor registered in the Dutch BIG register. A blood test does not provide a diagnosis. For treatment decisions, always discuss your results with your GP.
Często zadawane pytania
What does a low ferritin mean?
A low ferritin usually points to a low iron store. That can fit fatigue, hair loss and concentration problems, even when the haemoglobin is still normal. A blood test gives direction, but does not provide a diagnosis.
Why does ferritin drop earlier than haemoglobin?
Your body first uses the stored iron reserve before the production of red blood cells suffers. As a result ferritin drops first, while the haemoglobin stays normal for a while. So ferritin is an early measure of a looming iron shortage.
Can my ferritin look normal and still be a shortage?
Yes. Ferritin is also an inflammation protein and can rise temporarily during an infection or inflammation, even while your store is low. That is why ferritin is always looked at in context by a doctor.
Do I need a referral to have ferritin measured?
No. At Levenswijs you can have your ferritin measured without a referral, on its own or together with vitamins and iron. The result is reviewed by a doctor registered in the Dutch BIG register. For treatment, your GP remains your point of contact.
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