When inflammation is suspected, your doctor may request a C-reactive protein (CRP) or erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) alongside ferritin. A raised CRP may indicate that ferritin has been artificially elevated by inflammation rather than reflecting true iron stores.

For this reason, healthcare professionals often interpret ferritin together with:

This combined approach provides a much clearer picture than relying on ferritin alone.

The liver is one of the body’s main storage sites for ferritin, so liver disease commonly affects ferritin levels.

Common liver-related causes of raised ferritin include:

If liver disease is suspected, your GP may also request:

Reducing alcohol intake, maintaining a healthy weight and managing conditions such as diabetes may improve liver health and, in some cases, reduce ferritin levels over time.

Internal link placeholder: Liver Function Tests Explained

Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition in which the body absorbs too much iron from food. Over many years, excess iron gradually accumulates in organs including the:

Without treatment, iron overload can lead to permanent organ damage.

Symptoms may include:

However, many people have no symptoms in the early stages, and the condition is first suspected because routine blood tests show raised ferritin and transferrin saturation.

The Full Blood Count is one of the most important accompanying investigations.

It measures:

Typical patterns include:

Transferrin is the protein that transports iron through the bloodstream.

Transferrin saturation (TSAT) indicates how much of this transport protein is carrying iron.

Because of this, transferrin saturation is often considered one of the most valuable tests when investigating persistently raised ferritin.

If CRP is raised:

Liver Function Tests (LFTs) include markers such as:

Further investigations depend on the clinical picture and may include repeat blood tests, ultrasound imaging or referral to a specialist.

A ferritin blood test is straightforward and usually does not require any special preparation.

However, if ferritin is being requested alongside fasting glucose or cholesterol tests, you may be asked to fast beforehand. Your healthcare professional will advise you if this is necessary.

You should also see your GP if:

Your GP will consider your symptoms, examine you if appropriate and decide whether further blood tests or investigations are required. Treatment should always be directed at the underlying cause rather than simply correcting the ferritin level.

Seek urgent medical assessment (by contacting NHS 111, attending an urgent treatment centre or the Emergency Department, depending on the severity of your symptoms) if you experience:

If you have a raised ferritin level but feel well, it is usually appropriate to arrange a routine GP review rather than seeking emergency medical care.

Increasing dietary iron intake may help restore iron stores, particularly in people with mild deficiency.

Haem iron is absorbed more efficiently than iron from plant-based foods.

If dietary changes alone are unlikely to correct the deficiency, your GP may recommend oral iron tablets.

Common preparations used in UK practice include ferrous sulphate, ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate.

Treatment for a raised ferritin level depends entirely on the underlying cause.

Unlike low ferritin, there is no treatment aimed simply at lowering the ferritin number. Instead, the focus is on identifying and managing the condition responsible for the elevated result.

Possible management strategies include:

This is particularly common if you have recently had:

If raised ferritin is associated with metabolic syndrome or fatty liver disease, treatment often focuses on improving overall health.

This may include:

These measures benefit general health as well as liver health.

If liver disease is identified, treatment depends on the specific diagnosis.

Once ferritin has reached the target level, maintenance venesection may be required to prevent iron from accumulating again.

With early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, most people can expect an excellent long-term outlook.

As the underlying disease improves, ferritin levels often fall naturally.

Reference ranges vary between laboratories, but typical UK adult ranges are approximately 15–150 µg/L for women and 30–400 µg/L for men. Your own laboratory’s reference range should always be used when interpreting results.

Yes. Ferritin often falls before haemoglobin decreases. This is known as iron deficiency without anaemia and may still cause symptoms such as tiredness, hair loss and poor concentration.

Yes. In fact, this is very common. Infection, inflammation, liver disease, obesity and alcohol-related liver disease frequently cause raised ferritin without iron overload.

Ferritin itself does not cause symptoms. However, low ferritin often reflects iron deficiency, which commonly causes fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance.

Usually not. However, if it is being performed alongside other fasting blood tests, your healthcare professional will advise you accordingly.

This article is based on current UK clinical practice and recognised professional guidance available at the time of writing. Healthcare recommendations may change as new evidence emerges.

To help you better understand your blood test results, you may also find these articles useful:

Written and medically reviewed by

Dr Georgios Schoinas, GP

Aristo GP

This article is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. While every effort has been made to ensure the information reflects current UK clinical practice at the time of publication, individual circumstances vary.

Last medical review: 27/06/2026