Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)
The TIBC test stands for total iron binding capacity. It measures the body's ability to transport iron via the bloodstream using a protein called transferrin. Most of the time, doctors recommend this test when they suspect that a patient may be suffering from iron deficiency anemia. People with this problem often have headaches, feel weak and dizzy or suffer from chronic fatigue. Some people have the opposite problem: excessively high blood iron levels. Too much iron in the blood can also make a patient feel weak and tired, but also involves low libido, heart trouble and pain in the joints or abdominal region.
A TIBC test may be accompanied by a serum iron test to determine the total level of iron in the blood. Ideally, total iron will measure 60 to 170 micrograms per deciliter. TIBC tests should produce a result of about 240 to 450 mcg/dL, with a transferrin saturation of 20 to 50 percent. To get an accurate result, patients should avoid eating or drinking for eight hours before the test. People who are taking chloramphenicol or ACTH may have inaccurately low TIBC levels, while people taking fluoride or birth control medication may have artificially elevated results.
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