When giving blood, what is the specific Iron measurement they take?

Question

I went to give blood the other day, and they take an "iron" measurement prior to actually drawing the blood. My level was 16.4 -- but what specific type of iron were they measuring? I've heard of ferritin, transferrin, iron binding cap, total, etc., but when I asked what the upper limit was, she said 19, which didn't really fit within the healthy ranges I can find for the above types.Thoughts?

Answer 1

Depending upon the lab, the normal range of blood hemoglobin is about 12-20 g/dl of whole blood. The hemoglobin is probably the most important single test of donor blood to see if you are healthy enough to donate. (Of course the Red Cross and other blood donation organizations test each donated unit for dozens of important reasons.) Hemoglobin is the oxygen carrying protein in blood, giving it the red color. If your count is too low, you do not have enough hemoglobin to spare enough to donate blood, and you might be advised to seek medical attention yourself, rather than be allowed to donate.

When you were 'screened' as a donor, they likely pricked your finger or your earlobe, drew up a tiny drop in a small capillary tube, and tested the hemoglobin content, a rapid way to determine whether you could actually donate blood safely. A hemoglobin of 16.4 is excellent.