If you’ve been scrolling through social media comment sections recently, odds are you’ve seen at least one comment about ferratin levels, or even “ferritin face.” What’s the deal?
Well, research published in 2024 showed that issues with this protein, and iron absorption, might be more widespread than we once thought. That research found that 14% of its study participants had a depletion or reduction in iron stores.
Before we get further into that data, let’s take a pause and define what ferritin is. Per the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), it is a protein that stores iron, a mineral needed to help hemoglobin transport oxygen throughout the body.
Ferritin testing measures how much ferritin is in the blood and it is used to determine if a person has low iron reserves, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It describes ferritin as the “body’s iron storage closet,” and explained that it releases iron as it is needed.
“Healthcare providers usually order a ferritin test if a complete blood count (CBC) shows low hemoglobin or hematocrit,” the clinic said. “They’ll also order a test if you’re at risk for iron deficiency due to pregnancy, heavy menstrual bleeding or certain health conditions – or if you have symptoms of having too little or too much iron.”
Symptoms of low iron can include paleness, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and a fast heartbeat.
According to those study results from 2024, 15% of adults from the survey had functional iron deficiency, which is marked by normal levels of iron but a reduced ability for the body to use it in addition to the 14% who had depleted stores. This year, videos about ferritin levels have been getting hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.
“Ferritin is having a moment,” TODAY said this week.
While Alaine Mills, a registered sports dietitian with MUSC Health’s Dietitian Services, said some of the social media posts about “ferritin face” seem like “fear mongering” and seem to be a retread of posts about cortisol face (referring to the flight-or-fight hormone). However, Mills also said that there is a “kernel of truth” in the posts, because unusual facial paleness can indeed be a sign of an iron deficiency.
“If you have low iron, it can lead to making you cold, making you dizzy, shortness of breath, heart palpitations. And it can lead to bruising. All of that is true,” she said. Since iron helps transport blood, low levels can lead to poor athletic performance and energy throughout the day.
MUSC also cited research that indicates one in three adults in the U.S. and it noted that the American Society of Hematology issues new guidance on thresholds for iron-deficiency, so social media fear-mongering in this case might actually be highlighting an important overlooked health issue. In addition to pregnancy and heavy menstrual bleeding, celiac disease and some GI conditions, such as IBS, IBD or Crohn’s, can put people at risk for iron deficiency, Mills said.
If someone gets influenced to have their ferritin levels checked and they discover that they are in fact low in iron (further blood tests might be ordered if that is the case, the Cleveland Clinic noted), Mills said the first line of defense is found in the kitchen. She said “animal meats, like steak, chicken and shellfish, are the sources that are going to be absorbed the best.”
While those who don’t eat meat – or who are struggling to pay for certain grocery items amid high inflation – can get iron from plant foods like lentils or beans, nuts and seeds, Mills said iron from those sources is not absorbed as easily. Vitamin C can help people absorb iron from these sources, so Miller recommends pairing them with something high in vitamin C, like oranges or strawberries or even potatoes.
There are also supplements than can help people diagnosed with low ferritin, but Miller notes that these should be used with expert supervision.
“Iron bisgycinate is one of the supplements that’s a little bit easier on the system,” she said. “A lower dose of that is usually what I recommend. People tolerate it better.”
