Total iron-binding capacity (TIBC)
Total iron-binding capacity is how much iron the blood can carry. It is looked at together with iron and ferritin.
At a glance
- Sample
- Blood
- Units
- µg/dL (US), µmol/L (Europe)
- Often looked at with
- Iron, Ferritin, Transferrin, Transferrin saturation
- Preparation
- Labs usually ask you to come in the morning, fasting: the iron level changes during the day, and food can raise it.
Units: µg/dL and µmol/L
US labs usually print TIBC in µg/dL, most European labs in µmol/L. To convert, divide µg/dL by 5.5845. TIBC is counted in iron, so it converts with iron’s molar mass, the same as serum iron.
µmol/L = µg/dL ÷ 5.5845 · molar mass 55.845 g/mol
This converter changes units only. It doesn’t tell you whether a number is in or out of any range: that depends on the range printed by your own lab, and on your doctor. Soma does not diagnose and is not medical advice.
Why lab ranges differ
Each lab sets its reference range for its own method and analyser, and many ranges differ by age and sex. Two labs can print different ranges for the same blood, so a result is read against the range on its own report, not against a number from another lab or a website.
Soma charts every TIBC result against the range printed by the lab that measured it.
Questions
How do I convert TIBC from µg/dL to µmol/L?
Divide µg/dL by 5.5845. For example, 100 µg/dL is 17.9 µmol/L.
Why does my lab’s TIBC range differ from another lab’s?
Each lab sets its range for its own method and equipment, and many ranges differ by age and sex. That’s why a result is best read against the range printed on the same report.
How do I prepare for a TIBC test?
Labs usually ask you to come in the morning, fasting: the iron level changes during the day, and food can raise it. Follow your lab’s instructions.
Related tests
Got a lab report with TIBC?
Share it to Soma: it reads every row on your phone, with no account and no upload, and puts your TIBC on one chart with your earlier results, each against the range your lab printed.
Sources
- Iron Tests — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- Units: PubChem: Iron (iron), molar mass 55.845 g/mol, as the Soma app converts.
Mention of a source doesn’t mean it endorses Soma. This page explains the test; it doesn’t diagnose and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about what your results mean.