Transferrin

Transferrin is a transport protein that binds iron in the blood and transports it to the storage and utilization sites in the body. The laboratory value measures the concentration of transferrin in the blood and is used to assess iron metabolism.

A transferrin test is recommended for: • People with suspected iron deficiency or iron overload • Patients with symptoms such as fatigue, paleness or shortness of breath • Monitoring of patients with chronic blood loss (e.g. in gastrointestinal diseases) • Diagnosis and monitoring of chronic liver diseases

The test serves to diagnose iron deficiency anemia and iron overload, as well as to assess the nutritional and liver status.

Here is the translation: A elevated transferrin value often indicates iron deficiency, as the body tries to transport more iron. A low value can be caused by: • Liver diseases (reduced production) • Chronic inflammation (reduced transferrin production) • Iron overload (e.g. in hemochromatosis) Symptoms of abnormal values can be: • Fatigue and lack of concentration in iron deficiency • Organ problems in iron overload

The testing can be carried out at any time of the day and is independent of food intake.

• Transferrin is often measured together with ferritin and serum iron to comprehensively assess iron status. • Chronic diseases can lower the transferrin level, even if there is no iron deficiency. • Transferrin saturation, which indicates the proportion of actually bound iron, is an important complement to transferrin measurement.