24-Hour Measured Iron Intake
This test estimates how much iron you consumed from food and supplements over a 24-hour period, based on a detailed diet record or intake assessment.
["It summarizes your recent dietary iron intake over one day to help evaluate whether your intake is adequate."]
Key facts at a glance
- LOINC
- 81083-8
- Short code
- Iron intake 24h Measured
- Synonyms
- Iron intake 24h Measured
- Category
- chemistry
- Sample
- serum
- Container
- Red-top tube (SST)
- Units
- N/A
- Ref low
- 20
- Ref high
- 400
- Fasting
- false
- Population
- adult
- Sex
- all
- Age range
- 18–65 years
- Method
- measured
- CPT
- 83540
- Specimen volume
- 5 mL
- Stability
- Room temperature: 4h, Refrigerated: 24h, Frozen: 7d
- Hemolysis max
- 500
- Lipemia max
- 1000
- Icterus max
- 500
- TAT
- 4–24 hours
- Order
- routine
What This Test Measures
The test captures the amount of iron you took in from foods and supplements during a single 24-hour window. Iron from meat sources (heme iron) and plant sources (non-heme iron) may be tracked, along with any supplements you reported.
How the Information Is Collected
A dietitian or clinician typically reviews a food diary, recall interview, or supplement list covering the previous day. The reported foods and portions are then converted into an estimated iron amount using nutrient databases.
Why Your Clinician May Order It
This assessment may be used when iron deficiency or excess is suspected, when anemia is being evaluated, or when monitoring dietary adequacy in people with restricted diets, pregnancy, or chronic conditions affecting iron absorption.
How to Prepare
No fasting or special preparation is usually needed. Keeping an accurate record of everything you ate and drank, including portion sizes and supplement labels, helps make the estimate more reliable.
Reference range
Premenopausal: 20-400 pg/mL; Postmenopausal: <30 pg/mLN/A
Fasting for 12 hours preferred. Iron supplements should be stopped 24 hours before if possible.
Clinical interpretation
How abnormal results are interpreted and what conditions they suggest.
Dietary iron intake assessment supports the evaluation of iron status alongside blood tests such as hemoglobin, ferritin, and iron saturation. A single-day estimate has limitations because intake varies day to day, so results are best interpreted by a clinician or dietitian in the context of your overall diet, symptoms, and other laboratory findings.
Short name
24-Hour Iron Intake
Frequently asked questions
Does this test measure the iron level in my blood?
How accurate is a 24-hour intake estimate?
Do I need to fast before this assessment?
Sources
- 1
- 2Lab Tests OnlineSource
- 3
Click any link to access the full source. PubMed Central (PMC) links provide free full-text access.
This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
This content is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you have about a medical condition, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of something you read here.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency department immediately.
Medically reviewed by WellAlly Editorial Team Last reviewed August 16, 2026. · Read our editorial policy