Iron deficiency typically results in which of the following ferritin levels?

Iron deficiency typically leads to low ferritin levels because ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body. When the body's iron stores are depleted, as seen in iron deficiency anemia, the amount of ferritin decreases. This is because ferritin levels directly reflect the available iron reserves; lower levels indicate lower reserves.

In iron deficiency, the body has insufficient iron for the production of hemoglobin and other iron-containing proteins, leading to decreased ferritin concentration. Other parameters, such as serum iron and transferrin saturation, also decrease, reinforcing the diagnosis of iron deficiency.

This understanding is crucial in clinical settings, as measuring ferritin is a common approach to assess iron stores in patients presenting with symptoms of anemia or other conditions associated with iron metabolism disorders.