Iron Profile (Transferrin Sat.): normal range and what it means
Short answer: The normal iron profile (transferrin sat.) range is 20 – 45 % for adults. Labs differ a little, so also check the range printed on your report.
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Where does your iron profile (transferrin sat.) sit?
Your result
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Information, not a diagnosis. Talk to a doctor about your result, and sooner if you feel unwell.
Percent of transferrin carrying iron — overall iron availability.
Normal range
Adult reference range.
- Low< 20 %
- Normal20 – 45 %
- High≥ 45 %
Free calculator
Transferrin saturation calculator
Transferrin saturation (%) = serum iron ÷ TIBC × 100
Sources: Gattermann N, Muckenthaler MU, Kulozik AE, Metzgeroth G, Hastka J. The evaluation of iron deficiency and iron overload. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2021;118(49):847-856.
Sometimes printed as "Iron" or "Fe"
If your report prints UIBC instead, TIBC = iron + UIBC
Your result
Enter the numbers from your lab report to see your result.
Iron swings through the day and after meals or supplements, so a morning sample after an overnight fast, with no iron tablets for 24 hours, gives the most reliable result.
Worked out in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or saved.
A pointer, not a diagnosis. Talk to a doctor about your result, and sooner if you feel unwell.
What it measures
The panel taken together: serum iron, transferrin, saturation and ferritin. Reading them as a set separates true deficiency from the low iron that inflammation alone can cause.
What moves it
Iron intake and absorption, inflammation, and recent supplementation. More informative than serum iron alone because it accounts for carrying capacity.
How to bring it into range
If ferritin is low and saturation is low, that is deficiency. If ferritin is high while saturation is low, look for inflammation instead.
How fast it responds
Weeks to months.
Also reported as: transferrin saturation · tsat
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Common questions
- What is the normal iron profile (transferrin sat.) range?
- The normal iron profile (transferrin sat.) range is 20 – 45 % for adults. Labs differ a little, so also check the range printed on your report.
- What does a high Iron Profile (Transferrin Sat.) mean?
- A value above the reference band means Iron Profile (Transferrin Sat.) is outside the range typical for a healthy adult. A single reading is rarely conclusive on its own — what matters is the trend across draws and the other markers around it, which is why HealthOS reads the whole panel together rather than one number at a time.
- How do I improve my Iron Profile (Transferrin Sat.)?
- If ferritin is low and saturation is low, that is deficiency. If ferritin is high while saturation is low, look for inflammation instead.
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Reference ranges are general-population guidance compiled from common clinical laboratories, not a diagnosis. Lab-to-lab ranges differ. Always read your results with your doctor.