Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)

This test measures both serum iron (Iron) and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC).

Iron is a measure of the total amount of iron in the cell-free portion of the blood (serum). 

Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) is a metric of how much iron the proteins in your blood are capable of binding, and thus it is inversely related to the total amount of iron stores in the body. 

Iron is an essential mineral that holds a unique place in our body. On one hand, iron is considered the most common nutritional deficiency, yet, many health issues involve an excess of iron. This is primarily because iron types, absorption, transport and utilization is are multifaceted issues that are difficult to capture simply. Iron deficiency can create symptoms such as fatigue and brain fog, while excess iron can drive tissue damage and inflammation, resulting in a multitude of symptoms. Long term iron status is important to monitor for disease prevention and longevity as well, since countless age related conditions are predicted by either iron deficiency or excess.