+91 8013693656 newmedilifediagnosticcentre@gmail.com Diagnostic care in Kolkata
Call for current timings
Biochemistry Anaemia & Blood Home collection available

Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)

Parameters1 tested
SampleBlood
FastingNot required
Report inSame day

How to prepare

No fasting needed

You can eat and drink normally before the test.

Good to know

No special preparation needed.

Medicines

Tell our phlebotomist about any medicines you take. Don't stop them without asking your doctor.

Comfortable clothes

Wear a loose sleeve so the sample can be taken easily from your arm.

How it works

Book onlinePick a time slot
Home visitSealed, sterile kit
Lab testingBarcode tracked
ReportIn same day

About this test

TIBC shows how much iron your blood can carry. It indirectly measures transferrin, the protein that transports iron. When iron stores are low the body makes more transferrin, so TIBC goes up.

Why is this test done?

  • Work out the cause of anaemia
  • Tell iron deficiency from anaemia of long illness
  • Check for iron overload
  • Read with serum iron and ferritin

Symptoms — when should you get tested?

  • Tiredness and weakness
  • Pale skin
  • Breathlessness or fast heartbeat
  • Hair fall

Normal range

Adults 250 – 450 µg/dL

Reference ranges differ slightly between labs, methods, age and sex. Always discuss your report with your doctor.

If your result is high

A high TIBC usually means the body is short of iron and is trying to catch more of it.

Common reasons
  • Iron deficiency anaemia
  • Pregnancy
  • Birth control pills

If your result is low

A low TIBC can be seen when there is too much iron or when the body is making less protein.

Common reasons
  • Anaemia of chronic disease or infection
  • Iron overload (haemochromatosis)
  • Liver disease
  • Malnutrition or kidney protein loss

How is the test done?

  1. 1
    Book online

    Choose your slot for home collection or a visit to our centre.

  2. 2
    Blood sample taken

    A trained phlebotomist takes a small blood sample from a vein in your arm with a sealed, single-use needle. It takes about 2 minutes.

  3. 3
    Tested in our lab

    Your barcoded sample is tested on automated machines with strict quality checks.

  4. 4
    Report on WhatsApp

    A pathologist checks the result and the report reaches you on WhatsApp and email.

Frequently asked questions

Together they give transferrin saturation, which shows how much of the carrying capacity is actually used.

No fasting is needed for this test. You can eat and drink normally.

Your report is usually ready in same day after the sample reaches our lab. We send it on WhatsApp and email, and you can also download it from the Reports page.

Please call our team to confirm whether home sample collection is available for your location and test.

This test needs a blood sample. No special preparation needed.

You may also need

Related tests

View all