Clinic appointment
Iron Overload Check
The three iron-status blood markers plus a genetic test for the two most common gene changes linked to the body storing too much iron.
- Doctor-reviewed results
- Laboratory analysis
- 2 to 3 working days from lab receipt
- No fasting required
What’s included
4 markers measured
Iron
The amount of iron in your blood. Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) reflects the blood's ability to bind and carry iron, and relates to the amount of transferrin, a protein made by the liver. In iron deficiency anaemia, iron is low and TIBC high. With too much iron, as in haemochromatosis, iron is high and TIBC low or normal.
Ferritin
Your stored iron, the reserve tank. Stores usually fall first, so ferritin can show low iron while the blood count still looks normal. Inflammation can push it up, which is why ESR or CRP is useful alongside.
Transferrin saturation
Shows how much iron is bound to the protein transferrin, as a proportion of the iron it could carry. A high result can mean a high iron level in the blood. It is one of the blood tests used to check for haemochromatosis, alongside ferritin.
HFE gene (haemochromatosis)
Looks for faults in the HFE gene, which cause most cases of haemochromatosis, a condition where iron from food builds up in the body over time. One faulty copy makes you a carrier. Two faulty copies put you at risk, though most people with two copies never develop the condition.
Overview
For people who have been told they have a high ferritin or high transferrin saturation on a previous blood test, or who have a close blood relative with haemochromatosis. It measures iron, ferritin and transferrin saturation together with the two common HFE gene variants, so a doctor can read the blood picture and the genetic picture side by side rather than in two separate visits.
Used where too much iron rather than too little is the question; a doctor reads the genetic result alongside the blood markers, as carrying a gene change does not on its own mean iron overload.
Who this is for and who it isn’t
Who it’s for
- Adults aged 18 and over
- Anyone with a raised ferritin on a previous test
- People with haemochromatosis in the family
Who it isn’t for
- This is not the test to start with if you think your iron might be low. It also includes a genetic test, which carries information about your blood relatives and is not something you can un-know, so please read "What we can and can't tell you" on this page before you buy. It is not sold to under-18s.
- Anyone with a new, severe or worsening symptom: contact your GP or call NHS 111. A test you buy today is not a substitute for being examined.
Common reasons people choose this test
- A high ferritin or iron result on a previous blood test
- A parent, brother or sister with haemochromatosis
- Ongoing tiredness with joint aches, especially in the fingers
These are reasons people choose to test, not signs that something is wrong. A result is one part of a picture your doctor puts together with your history and an examination.
What your result looks like
Every result is shown with the unit and the reference range exactly as the laboratory reported it, with the doctor’s note underneath.
- Iron▼ Low
- Result
- 7 µmol/L
- Range
- 10–30
- FerritinIn range
- Result
- 62 µg/L
- Range
- 15–150 / 30–400
- Transferrin saturationIn range
- Result
- 30 %
- Range
- 20–50
| Marker | Result | Units | Range | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 7 | µmol/L | 10–30 | ▼ Low |
| Ferritin | 62 | µg/L | 15–150 / 30–400 | In range |
| Transferrin saturation | 30 | % | 20–50 | In range |
Doctor’s note (example)
Serum iron swings with meals and time of day, so a single low value is read alongside ferritin, which is the better guide to your stores.
…and 1 more marker. Ranges shown as women / men. Values above are examples. Your report shows your own results with the laboratory’s units and reference range for your age and sex, reviewed, signed and released by a GMC-registered doctor.
How it works
- You book your appointmentA trained clinician takes your sample at one of our London clinics. Nothing to do at home.
- The clinician takes your sampleA single clinic blood draw by a trained clinician
- The laboratory analyses itYour sample is processed for the measurements included in this test. Lab processing typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receipt of your sample.
- A doctor reviews and releases itA GMC-registered doctor reads every result and signs the report before it reaches you.
- Sample
- Clinic blood draw
- Preparation
- No fasting required
- Who it's for
- Any sex · ages 18+
How to prepare
What we can and can’t tell you
This panel includes a genetic test, so there are some things to know before you buy. The genetic part looks only at the two common HFE variants, C282Y and H63D. It does not detect rarer HFE variants or iron overload with other causes, so a negative result does not exclude haemochromatosis. Carrying a variant does not mean a person has, or will go on to develop, iron overload: only a minority of people who carry two copies go on to have problems from too much iron. The iron, ferritin and transferrin saturation results show iron status on the day of the test, not whether iron has already built up in the organs, which needs a clinician's assessment and sometimes imaging. A genetic result also carries information about blood relatives who have not asked for it and have not consented to being tested, and it is not something you can un-know, so it is worth thinking about beforehand. Your clinical history is needed with the request, a doctor reads the genetic and blood results together, and this test is not sold to under-18s.
The reference range beside each result is the laboratory’s own. A result in range is not a clean bill of health and a result outside it is not a diagnosis. Most ranges cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one range. No test result replaces an examination or your own doctor’s judgement, and none of these panels is a cancer screening programme.
Read the full note
The reference range printed beside each of your results is the laboratory's own, and it is the range that applies to your result. We do not apply a second range of our own, and we do not tell you that a result the laboratory reported as normal is nonetheless too low or too high. If you see a claim elsewhere that your result ought to sit inside a narrower band than the one the laboratory printed, treat it with caution and ask your doctor.
Some assays cannot give an exact figure above or below a certain point, and those results are reported the way the laboratory sends them, for example as a value greater than a stated number. A result in range is not a clean bill of health, and a result outside a range is not a diagnosis: most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so some healthy people fall just outside them. No blood test replaces an examination, a scan or your own doctor's judgement, and none of these panels is a screening programme for cancer.
If you have a symptom that is new, severe, or getting worse, contact your GP or NHS 111 rather than waiting for a test result. In an emergency call 999.
Frequently asked questions
Do I get my genetic result back?
Yes. Your report states which of the two common HFE variants were found, and a doctor reads that alongside your iron results. It looks only at those two variants, so it does not cover rarer causes of iron overload.
What does a positive genetic result mean for my family?
The HFE variants are inherited, so a result has implications for your parents, siblings and children, who have not asked to be tested. It is worth thinking that through before you order, and it is something your GP can talk you through afterwards.
How long do results take?
The laboratory typically takes 2 to 3 working days from receiving your sample. This does not include kit delivery, sample collection or return postage. A doctor reviews your results before they are released.
Can I choose a home kit or a clinic?
This test is a clinic blood draw, as it needs a venous sample for accuracy. We arrange a convenient appointment for you.
Is a doctor involved?
Yes. Every result is reviewed by a GMC-registered doctor who signs it off and explains what it means and what to do next.
Is it confidential?
Your results are available through your secure patient portal. Our privacy policy explains how your information is handled and when it may be shared to provide your care.
What happens to my sample and results?
Your sample is analysed at a UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO 15189). A GMC-registered doctor then reads every result and signs the report before it is released, so nothing reaches you unreviewed. There is no option to receive results without a doctor reading them first. The report arrives in your secure portal in plain English: each result with its unit and the laboratory's own reference range, and the doctor's note on what the set means read together. If a result sits outside its range the report says so and explains what usually happens next, which is most often a conversation with your own GP, who can act on it alongside your history and examination. Most reference ranges are set to cover about 95% of healthy people, so about 1 in 20 healthy people fall just outside any one of them. On a report with many results it is common for one to sit just outside its range, and a single number on its own rarely tells the whole story. If a result needs urgent attention, the reviewing doctor is alerted straight away and we contact you by phone the same working day rather than leaving it in the portal for you to find. If a specific result needs rechecking, the reviewing doctor says so in your report. The genetic part of the report says whether each of the two HFE variants was found or not found. Because a genetic result can also matter to blood relatives, the doctor's note says when that applies.
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