Low iron stores can sometimes coincide with fatigue, reduced stamina, headaches, dizziness, restless legs, hair shedding, or difficulty concentrating. Normal hemoglobin means some people notice little or nothing.
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Sample report
PDFClear view of your lab results
Educational, not diagnostic · Common items in this report
This page uses fictional sample data. AI-generated educational explanation — not medical advice, diagnosis, or a certified translation. ExplainMyTest is not a medical device and does not diagnose, predict outcomes, prescribe, or instruct you to treat yourself. The complete report may provide a result-specific treatment plan for discussion with a qualified clinician; urgent symptoms need appropriate in-person care.
Patient context usedFictional example: age 34 · weight 68 kg · no treatment history supplied
Important context still missingFerritin is below the sample range, but the CBC, full iron studies, symptoms, bleeding history, medicines, and other causes affect whether and how treatment is used. TSH is 4.2 µIU/mL against 0.4-4.0, but free T4, symptoms, previous results, pregnancy context, biotin, and medicines are not shown.
Report overview
Most values are in range
Could the iron and thyroid findings be reviewed together in the context of my symptoms?
1821 · Common items in this report
General conclusion
Possible problems or experiences linked with this pattern
These are contextual possibilities, not diagnoses.
If the TSH pattern proves persistent and the wider thyroid tests support it, people may report feeling cold, constipation, dry skin, low mood, weight change, or slowed thinking. A single borderline TSH cannot attribute these symptoms to the thyroid.
Common items in this report
July 18, 2026What the English reading keeps
LowFerritinPrinted values
11ng/mL
Laboratory ranges30–200
Readable numbers and units are retained as printed.
WatchTSHLaboratory ranges
4.2µIU/mL
Laboratory ranges0.4–4.0
The source laboratory's own comparison range stays beside the value.
Most values are in rangeHemoglobinUncertainty
12.8g/dL
Laboratory ranges12.0–15.5
Unreadable or ambiguous text is identified instead of invented.
Most values are in rangeVitamin B12Printed values
238pg/mL
Laboratory ranges200–900
Readable numbers and units are retained as printed.
For discussion with a clinician only
Consultation priority: RoutineRecommendations for discussion
Possible directions for a shared decision with a qualified clinician - not instructions to start treatment on your own.
Confirm the iron pattern and discuss whether iron replacement is appropriate
- Purpose
- Address confirmed low iron stores while also identifying why they are low.
- Why it may be discussed
- Ferritin is below the sample range, but the CBC, full iron studies, symptoms, bleeding history, medicines, and other causes affect whether and how treatment is used.
- How this pattern is usually treated
- With ferritin 11 ng/mL below 30-200 and hemoglobin 12.8 g/dL in range, discuss confirming iron deficiency and its cause. If confirmed, ask whether oral iron is the appropriate first option, which formulation and schedule fit your tolerance and medicines, when CBC and ferritin should be repeated, and what response would lead to continuing, adjusting, or considering IV iron.
Published dosing examples for clinician discussionPublished example available
Published adult IDA example: 50-100 mg elemental oral iron once daily; one common example is ferrous sulfate 200 mg containing about 65 mg elemental iron. Alternate-day oral iron may be considered when daily dosing is not tolerated. Reassess response and tolerance early; duration is then adjusted to the cause and iron-store response.
- When clinicians consider it
- Only after iron deficiency is confirmed and a clinician decides oral replacement is appropriate. The cited regimen is for adult iron-deficiency anaemia; this fictional sample has low ferritin but hemoglobin remains in range.
- How it fits the supplied data
- Ferritin 11 ng/mL makes replacement worth discussing. Age 34 is within the adult population. Weight 68 kg does not set the usual oral dose. Hemoglobin 12.8 g/dL means the anaemia guideline cannot be applied automatically.
- What must be confirmed first
- Confirm the cause, pregnancy, bleeding and gastrointestinal history, kidney/liver disease, allergies, medicines and interactions, local tablet strength, prior tolerance, and the monitoring target.
- Evidence basis
- British Society of Gastroenterology guideline for adult iron-deficiency anaemia (Gut, 2021). BSG
Should the finding be confirmed before deciding among treatment, monitoring, or no change?
Review the borderline TSH before deciding about thyroid treatment
- Purpose
- Determine whether the mild elevation is temporary, persistent, or part of a wider thyroid pattern.
- Why it may be discussed
- TSH is 4.2 µIU/mL against 0.4-4.0, but free T4, symptoms, previous results, pregnancy context, biotin, and medicines are not shown.
- How this pattern is usually treated
- Discuss repeat TSH with free T4 and review symptoms, medicines, supplements, and prior values. If the elevation persists with normal free T4, the clinician can compare monitoring with a supervised levothyroxine trial only when the wider context supports it; this single result does not automatically call for treatment.
Published dosing examples for clinician discussionNot enough data to select a dose
No levothyroxine dose is selected here: one TSH of 4.2 µIU/mL without free T4, repeat testing, symptoms, pregnancy context, cardiovascular history, or antibodies does not establish the condition for which a dose would be chosen. NICE first requires the pattern and treatment indication to be established.
Evidence basis: NICE NG145Which missing findings would make monitoring, a treatment trial, or no change the better option for me?
If a clinician has already recommended a treatment
The complete report explains its usual purpose in plain language. It connects the documented plan to the visible findings without deciding that the plan is right for you.
Confirm the intended benefit, important risks, interactions, monitoring, duration, and what should trigger an earlier review.Prevention and recurrence reduction
Measures linked to these exact findings, including what is not yet known.
Reduce the chance that low iron stores recur
- How it is usually applied
- Because ferritin is 11 ng/mL, the clinician would usually look for ongoing blood loss, intake or absorption problems, address any source found, and agree follow-up CBC and ferritin after replacement. If oral iron is used, tolerance and timing around interacting medicines, calcium, tea or coffee are reviewed.
- What is missing or may change this
- Bleeding, gastrointestinal and dietary history, pregnancy context, medicines and prior iron response are missing, so an individualized prevention or supplement schedule cannot yet be selected.
Monitor the thyroid pattern instead of guessing at prevention
- How it is usually applied
- For a single TSH of 4.2 µIU/mL, the usual risk-reduction step is to review medicines and supplements including biotin, repeat TSH with free T4 when appropriate, and set follow-up from the confirmed pattern. Iodine or thyroid supplements are not a substitute for that assessment.
- What is missing or may change this
- There is not enough information for a thyroid-specific preventive treatment: free T4, repeat TSH, symptoms, antibodies, pregnancy context and medicine use are unknown.
Low-risk measures while waiting
Keep a short symptom, medicine, and supplement log for the appointment.
Do not start iron, thyroid medicine, or new supplements from this sample report.Read my results
Read my resultsWe show enough to help—without pretending to replace care.
Your free review gives only a general conclusion and possible problems or experiences that may be connected with the visible pattern. Detailed interpretation and recommendations stay in the complete report.