What does iron and TIBC test for?
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Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) is a blood test to see if you have too much or too little iron in your blood. Iron moves through the blood attached to a protein called transferrin. This test helps your health care provider know how well that protein can carry iron in your blood.
What does it mean if my TIBC is high?
High TIBC means that you have low levels of iron. When there isn’t much iron to attach to, you’ll have a lot of free transferrin in your blood. Low iron levels can lead to iron deficiency anemia, a condition in which your body doesn’t have enough iron to make healthy red blood cells.
How do you explain TIBC?
A total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) test measures the blood’s ability to attach itself to iron and transport it around the body. A transferrin test is similar. If you have iron deficiency (a lack of iron in your blood), your iron level will be low but your TIBC will be high.
What is the difference between iron and TIBC?
The serum iron test measures the amount of iron in your blood. The total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) test looks at how well the iron moves through your body.
Why is TIBC high in iron deficiency anemia?
In iron-deficient conditions, the relative transferrin content compared to iron content increases, and thus the TIBC values are high. The opposite happens in iron overloaded states of the body; the quantity of free transferrin in blood decreases, and consequently, TIBC values are low.
Why is TIBC elevated in iron deficiency?
What causes high TIBC levels?
TIBC is usually higher than normal when the body’s iron supplies are low. This can occur with: Iron deficiency anemia; Pregnancy (late) Lower-than-normal TIBC may mean: Anemia due to red blood cells being destroyed too quickly (hemolytic anemia) Lower-than-normal level of protein in the blood (hypoproteinemia) Inflammation; Liver disease, such as cirrhosis
Is TIBC the same as transferrin?
Transferrin is a protein produced by the liver. It regulates the absorption of iron into the blood. TIBC relates to the amount of transferrin in your blood that’s available to attach to iron. Although TIBC and transferrin are 2 different tests, they basically measure the same thing, so you’ll usually have either one or the other.
What does a high TIBC mean?
A high TIBC, UIBC, or transferrin usually indicates iron deficiency, but they are also increased in pregnancy and with the use of oral contraceptives. A low TIBC, UIBC, or transferrin may also occur if someone has malnutrition, inflammation, liver disease, or nephrotic syndrome.
What does elevated TIBC mean?
Feeling tired and weak