Table 1.

Classification of iron status according to the level of iron stores

A note on the criteria of our terminology: The term “Normal iron stores” in this study denotes the level of iron stores between iron deficiency and iron overload regardless of disease or iron distribution in the body. (Generally recognized iron stores in a normal male are 0.5 to 1.0 gram, while those in a female are 1/3 to 1/4 times those of a normal male.)

The distinction between the state of iron decrease within the normal iron stores and iron deficiency is clear-cut, whereas that between the state of iron increase within normal iron stores and iron overload is not; a transitional zone between normal iron increase and iron overload was allowed. Generally, symptoms of iron overload appear when the serum ferritin level is above 1000 ng/ml.

Iron deficiency –/+ symptom	<	Normal iron stores	<	Iron overload –/+ symptom
Serum ferritin ng/ml	<12		250~500<
Iron stores g	<0.1		2.5~5.0<
Hemosiderin*	–		–/+ +	++ +++

* Microscopically detectable.