Also known as: Iron and TIBC, Iron Panel
On your lab requisition: Quest “Iron, TIBC and Ferritin Panel” (test code 5616)
The short answer
Iron & TIBC measures Iron, TIBC and Iron Saturation % from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $25.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, requires an 8–12 hour fast, and results post in 1–3 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Hospital Lab
$100
cash pay
Other Labs
$50
+ lab fees
TestWell
$25.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
This panel measures serum iron (the amount of iron circulating in your blood) and Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC), which reflects how well your blood can transport iron. Together, they can calculate iron saturation percentage. Low iron with high TIBC suggests iron deficiency, while high iron with low TIBC may indicate iron overload (hemochromatosis).
Measures serum iron + Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC), which together yield transferrin saturation. Combined with ferritin, gives a complete picture of iron metabolism.
Anyone investigating iron deficiency anemia, monitoring iron supplementation, evaluating iron overload, or screening for hemochromatosis (especially men over 40 with family history).
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Required
Results In
1–3 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
3 biomarkers tested · 2 measured, 1 calculated from them
Your Iron & TIBC results will include values for each of the 3 biomarkers tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 1–3 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
Fasting for 8–12 hours recommended. Best drawn in the morning. Stop iron supplements 24 hours before.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
The short answer
Worth it when you are working up iron deficiency or overload and want more than ferritin alone. It shows how much iron is actually circulating and how saturated your transferrin is, which catches problems a ferritin number can miss - and it pairs best with ferritin, not instead of it.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
A venous draw at Quest or Labcorp, or an at-home mobile draw where available. Timing matters more here than for most tests: fast 8-12 hours, hold iron supplements for 24 hours beforehand (they can spike serum iron and mask a real deficiency), and try to be drawn in the morning, when iron is naturally highest.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Serum iron | ~50-170 mcg/dL | The iron circulating right now; it swings through the day, so it is interpreted alongside TIBC rather than alone. |
| TIBC | ~250-450 mcg/dL | How much capacity your blood has to carry iron; it rises when iron is low (the blood is 'hungrier') and falls with iron overload. |
| Transferrin saturation | 20-50% | Calculated from iron and TIBC - the best single iron-status number. Under 20% suggests deficiency; over ~45% suggests overload and warrants follow-up. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated June 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
An Iron & TIBC test costs $25.99 at TestWell — $31.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $100.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible.
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $25.99 | $31.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| TestWell (drawn at BioReference — New York & New Jersey) | $21.99 | $27.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route to BioReference; Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand don't take self-ordered draws in those states |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $100.00 | $100.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
Lab test codes: Quest test code 5616 · Labcorp test no. 001321 · BioReference code 0250-1. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Iron alone fluctuates significantly throughout the day. TIBC reflects how 'hungry' your blood is for iron (it measures transferrin's capacity to bind iron). Together they yield % transferrin saturation — the best single iron-status marker. Saturation under 20% suggests deficiency; over 45% suggests overload.
Ferritin measures iron stored in tissue (the reservoir). Iron + TIBC measures iron circulating in the blood (current supply). Both tell different stories: ferritin drops first in deficiency, but Iron + TIBC catches functional iron deficiency when stores are normal but you can't deliver iron to cells. The Iron Panel (Complete) includes all three.
20-50% is the standard range. Under 20% suggests iron deficiency. Over 45% in men or over 35% in women warrants follow-up for hemochromatosis (genetic iron overload), especially if ferritin is also elevated.
On TestWell, Iron + TIBC is $25.99. Quest Direct lists the same test at $50, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $80-100 without insurance. Same CLIA-certified labs, same biomarkers — TestWell just removes the markup.
Serum iron is CPT 83540. TIBC is CPT 83550. Transferrin saturation is calculated from the two and doesn't get its own code. When ordered together they're usually billed under 83540 + 83550.
Yes — 8-12 hours of fasting is recommended. Also hold iron supplements for 24 hours before the draw; they can transiently elevate serum iron and produce false-normal results that mask a true deficiency.
Morning (7-10 AM) is best. Serum iron has a strong diurnal rhythm — morning values are typically 30% higher than evening. Always draw at the same time of day if you're tracking trends over multiple tests.
Start with ferritin if you want the single most sensitive, cheapest screen - it drops first in deficiency. Iron + TIBC adds the circulating supply and your transferrin saturation, which catches functional deficiency (and iron overload) that ferritin alone can miss. Many people run both, or order the complete Iron Panel to get all three at once.
Yes - order online through TestWell (no doctor's visit needed) and get a venous draw at Quest or Labcorp, or an at-home mobile draw where available. Just remember this test is timing-sensitive: fast, go in the morning, and hold iron supplements for 24 hours so the result is not falsely elevated.
Serum iron fluctuates hour to hour, so a single 'normal' can be misleading. Your stored iron (ferritin) can be low even when circulating iron looks fine, so checking ferritin and transferrin saturation together gives a truer read. If iron is genuinely fine, fatigue work-ups often move on to thyroid and vitamin B12.
Iron & TIBC test results are typically ready in 1–3 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
Iron supplements, recent blood donation, eating before the draw and time of day can change an Iron & TIBC test result without anything being wrong. Iron supplements can raise Iron and Iron Saturation % — skip the dose that morning; draw fasting. Recent blood donation can lower Iron and can raise TIBC — interpret with ferritin and the donation date. Eating before the draw can raise Iron — fasting morning draw; hold iron pills that morning. Time of day can shift Iron — fasting morning draw. Each factor is covered on our physician-reviewed "Before your test" pages; when one applies, the fix is usually to remove it and retest.
The Iron & TIBC test is Quest Diagnostics test code 5616 ("Iron, TIBC and Ferritin Panel"), Labcorp test number 001321, BioReference code 0250-1 (CPT 83540, 83550). TestWell orders it under those codes for $25.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 1–3 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
TestWell Price
$25.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
Better value: the Baseline Anemia Panel
Save $56.96This test is part of the Baseline Anemia Panel — 5 tests · 20 biomarkers for $74.99, $56.96 less than à la carte.
$74.99$131.95
5 tests · 20 biomarkers
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