What to watch with Transferrin and menopause?

Transferrin is an iron-transport protein whose blood levels reflect iron status. During menopause, iron metabolism shifts significantly: due to the cessation of menstruation, monthly iron loss stops, leading to rising iron stores (ferritin). Consequently, transferrin saturation may increase, indicating a higher risk of iron overload – especially in women carrying heterozygous HFE mutations (C282Y) linked to hereditary hemochromatosis. Elevated ferritin in postmenopause is associated with oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular risk. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor not only transferrin but also ferritin, serum iron, and transferrin saturation regularly. MyBody-X tests do not directly analyze HFE mutations for hemochromatosis; transferrin interpretation should always be done in a clinical context. Caveat: Low transferrin may indicate iron deficiency, high transferrin saturation suggests iron overload – both require medical follow-up. Evidence: human-strong (iron metabolism and menopause).