What can the Eisen-Ferritin Selbsttest tell you — and what not?

The iron-ferritin self-test measures ferritin levels in the blood, which serve as an indicator of the body's iron stores. It can provide a rough hint of iron deficiency or iron overload, but it is not suitable as a standalone diagnosis. Ferritin is an acute-phase protein that can be elevated during inflammation, infection, or liver disease – even when iron deficiency is present. A low ferritin level (< 30 µg/L) usually suggests depleted iron stores, while high levels (> 200 µg/L in women, > 300 µg/L in men) may indicate a storage disease (hemochromatosis) or inflammation. The test cannot determine the cause, does not replace medical evaluation (including complete blood count, CRP, transferrin saturation), and is not approved for diagnosing anemia or hemochromatosis. Reference ranges also vary by laboratory and population. A self-test can serve as a screening tool but should always be discussed with a doctor. Without clinical context, the value can be misleading. The evidence for the benefit of home tests is limited; interpretation requires expertise.