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Transferrin is the main protein in the blood that binds to iron and transports it throughout the body. A transferrin test directly measures the level in the blood. Alternatively, transferrin may be measured indirectly (or converted by calculation) so that its level is expressed as the amount of iron it is capable of binding. This is called the total iron binding capacity (TIBC).

Iron is an essential nutrient that, among other functions, is necessary for the production of healthy red blood cells (RBCs). It is a critical part of hemoglobin, the protein in RBCs that binds oxygen in the lungs and releases oxygen as blood circulates to other parts of the body. The body cannot produce iron and must absorb it from the foods we eat or from supplements.