Transferrin details
What Transferrin shows
Transferrin is the main protein responsible for transporting iron through your bloodstream, produced by the liver, and its production generally increases when your body's iron stores are low, in an effort to capture more available iron. It's used together with iron, ferritin, and transferrin saturation as part of a full iron panel, and elevated transferrin typically points toward iron deficiency, while low transferrin can be seen with iron overload, chronic inflammation, liver disease, or malnutrition (since transferrin, like albumin, can decrease as part of the body's general response to illness).
Tests that include Transferrin
This test measures transferrin in the blood. It can be used to help diagnose a variety of conditions, including iron deficiency anemia, liver disease, and renal disease.
- Transferrin The main protein that transports iron in your blood. Used along with iron and ferritin to evaluate iron deficiency or overload.
This test measures transferrin in the blood. It can be used to help diagnose a variety of conditions, including iron deficiency anemia, liver disease, and renal disease.
- Transferrin The main protein that transports iron in your blood. Used along with iron and ferritin to evaluate iron deficiency or overload.
Heavy alcohol use (defined as >4 or 5 beverages per day for two weeks or more) is commonly associated with elevated CDT levels as are certain liver diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis and chronic active hepatitis and in some patients with genetic D variants of transferrin.
- Transferrin The main protein that transports iron in your blood. Used along with iron and ferritin to evaluate iron deficiency or overload.
- Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin (CDT) (%) A marker used to help detect heavy, sustained alcohol use over recent weeks.
- Carbohydrate-Deficient Transferrin (CDT) Measures carbohydrate-deficient transferrin, a blood marker that rises with sustained heavy alcohol use over several weeks.
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