Vitamins & Nutrients
Ferritin test cost — $12–$23.95
Ferritin · measured in ng/mL
Iron stores — both low and high shorten healthspan.
U-shaped (a sweet spot)Reference range
- Male: 30–400 ng/mL
- female: 13–150 ng/mL
Source’s sex categories. Ferritin can rise with inflammation; a value inside the interval does not by itself exclude iron deficiency.
Optimal range / clinical target
A separate universal ‘optimal’ interval is not established in the cited guidance. The goal depends on why you were tested; aiming for the middle or an extreme of the reference interval is not a treatment plan.
Examples are educational, not your reporting lab’s interval.
NIH MedlinePlus: ferritinWhen Ferritin matters
Protocols and goals where this marker is worth tracking.
On TRT, HRT, GLP-1s or peptides? Use the Find tests for your goal tool to see suggested biomarkers and build your monitoring list.
Tests that include Ferritin
Ferritin is included in Iron panel (Fe/TIBC/Ferritin). GoodLabs and Ulta prices below cover that panel, not an individual biomarker. Test prices are shown before separate collection fees.
Tracking more than one biomarker?
Build a list to compare test and panel combinations, with one blood-draw fee in your GoodLabs estimate.
$12 blood draw per visit, added once to your order.
Collection fee is additional; not included in this test price.
Does insurance cover Ferritin testing?
When a clinician orders Ferritin for a diagnosis or to follow a known condition, most plans cover it — and many cover routine screening as $0 preventive care for eligible adults. The catch is you need a qualifying reason and an in-network order; a “I just want to see my number” request often isn’t covered, and if you haven’t met your deductible you can end up paying the lab’s full list price anyway.
The direct-pay prices above skip insurance entirely: you pay the cash price, test on your own schedule with no doctor visit, and it’s HSA/FSA-eligible. For a single marker that’s often cheaper — and faster — than a copay plus deductible exposure.
Ferritin inside a bundle
Every compared membership/panel that includes Ferritin, cheapest first. Worth it when you want several markers at once rather than a single test.
| Provider | Model | Advertised panel | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiPhox Health | At-home, per-panel (selectable) | 59+ 39 biomarkers mapped | $99-124 / panel |
| Empirical Health | One-time panel | 100+ 46 biomarkers mapped | $190 one-time |
| Mito Health | At-cost marketplace + optional membership | 100+ 63 biomarkers mapped | Core Panel ~$198 |
| Superpower | Annual membership | 103+ 73 biomarkers mapped | $199/yr |
| Hundred | Annual membership | 160+ 74 biomarkers mapped | $199/yr |
| Function Health | Annual membership | 160+ 88 biomarkers mapped | $365/yr |
| Blueprint (Bryan Johnson) | Annual membership | 160+ 88 biomarkers mapped | $365/yr |
| Everlywell 360 | Annual membership | 83+ 35 biomarkers mapped | $399/yr |
| Quest Health (Elite) | One-time direct-pay | 85+ 49 biomarkers mapped | $399 one-time |
| HealthieOne | One-time test | 250+ 50 biomarkers mapped | $420/test + draw |
| InsideTracker | Membership + à-la-carte tests | 48+ 46 biomarkers mapped | $489 (1st test) |
| Marek Health | Annual membership | 80+ 55 biomarkers mapped | ~$495/yr |
| OneTwenty | Annual membership | 85+ 51 biomarkers mapped | $499/yr |
| Thorne Advanced | One-time panel | 60+ 51 biomarkers mapped | ~$830 one-time |
| Rythm Health | At-home subscription | 24+ 22 biomarkers mapped | $79/mo |
What Ferritin is
The intracellular iron-storage protein whose serum level estimates body iron stores. It is also an acute-phase reactant, so inflammation, liver disease, and metabolic syndrome falsely raise it.
Why it matters for longevity & performance
A classic U-shaped marker — low ferritin means iron deficiency, while high ferritin reflects iron overload and/or inflammation and predicts insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, and mortality (excess iron is a pro-oxidant).
Ferritin testing — frequently asked
Do I need to fast for a Ferritin test?
No. Ferritin does not require fasting — you can test any time of day.
Do I need a doctor's order to get a Ferritin test?
No. Direct-to-consumer labs (GoodLabs, Ulta, Quest and Labcorp OnDemand) include the physician order in the price — you order online and visit a draw site, no appointment with your own doctor needed.
How fast are Ferritin results?
Usually 1–3 business days after your blood draw; most results post to the lab's online portal.
What's the difference between the standard and optimal Ferritin range?
Reference intervals describe results in a reference population; they do not by themselves diagnose or exclude disease. A treatment target depends on the condition and the person. A separate universal ‘optimal’ interval is not established in the cited guidance. The goal depends on why you were tested; aiming for the middle or an extreme of the reference interval is not a treatment plan.
Does insurance cover Ferritin testing?
Often, when ordered for a diagnosis; many plans cover it as preventive care at no cost for eligible adults. The direct-pay prices above let you skip insurance and test on your own schedule.
Related Vitamins & Nutrients biomarkers
Educational guidance. Use your reporting lab’s reference interval and discuss personal targets and results with your clinician.