Transferrin blood test in Chiswick

What the test measures

Transferrin is a protein made by the liver. It picks up iron absorbed from food or released from old red blood cells and delivers it to the bone marrow, where new red cells are made, and to other tissues that need it. Each transferrin molecule can carry up to two iron atoms.

The body adjusts how much transferrin it makes according to its iron needs: when stores are low, the liver produces more to capture every available atom. Measuring transferrin directly, alongside serum iron, allows transferrin saturation to be calculated, which shows what share of the carriers are loaded with iron. This is a useful step when ferritin alone does not give a clear answer.

Your price includes the sample taken at our Chiswick clinic, analysis at the Randox accredited laboratory, a practitioner review of your result and a GP feedback report on request. No GP referral is needed.

Who it is for

• You are often tired, short of breath or pale and want your iron status checked in detail.
• You have heavy periods or have recently been pregnant.
• Your ferritin is borderline or you have inflammation that makes ferritin harder to read.
• You have a family history of haemochromatosis or a previous high iron result.
• You have a liver condition or poor nutrition and your practitioner wants to check protein production.

Understanding your result

A raised transferrin is a common sign of iron deficiency, and can also be seen in pregnancy and with oestrogen-containing medicines. A low transferrin can occur with iron overload, long-term inflammation or infection, liver disease, malnutrition or protein loss through the kidneys. Transferrin saturation, worked out from transferrin and iron, helps to separate these patterns: a low saturation points towards too little iron, while a high saturation can suggest excess iron.

Your report shows the laboratory reference range. A result outside it is a prompt for discussion with your practitioner, not a diagnosis.

Preparing for your test

Book a morning appointment, ideally before breakfast, because iron is usually measured at the same time and is highest and most consistent in the morning. Stop iron tablets and iron-containing multivitamins for 24 hours beforehand. Tell us if you take the contraceptive pill or HRT, as oestrogen increases transferrin.

Transferrin is part of the Iron Status Check and the Tired All The Time check, which also looks at thyroid, vitamin and blood count markers. You can also compare every blood test and price in Chiswick.

Questions

How much is a transferrin blood test in Chiswick?

A transferrin test costs £99. That covers the sample at our clinic, laboratory analysis, a practitioner review and a GP feedback report on request.

Is transferrin the same as transferrin saturation?

No. Transferrin is the amount of carrier protein. Saturation is the percentage of that protein currently carrying iron, worked out using your iron result.

Should I take this test or a ferritin test?

Ferritin is usually the first test for iron stores. Transferrin is helpful when ferritin is unclear, for example during inflammation, or when iron overload is being considered.

Can a high transferrin mean I need iron tablets?

It can suggest iron deficiency, but the cause matters. Talk your result through before starting supplements, as low iron may need its own investigation.