Who it is for
Is this iron test right for you?
Low iron comes on slowly, and the first signs are easy to blame on a busy life. An iron deficiency test you do at home gives you a first answer in ten minutes. In a recent European study, around one woman in five of reproductive age was iron deficient. People use this test when they notice one or more of these:
- Tiredness that sleep does not fix
- Pale skin, or breathlessness on the stairs
- Headache, dizziness, cold hands and feet
- Brittle nails, a fast heartbeat
- Heavy periods, or pregnancy
Some people run low more often than others. Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional cause of anaemia, and these groups are affected more often:
- Heavy periodsMonthly blood loss lowers iron stores
- PregnancyHigher iron needs for mother and baby
- Vegetarians and vegansPlant-based iron is harder to absorb
- Endurance athletesTraining increases iron losses and lowers iron absorption
- Frequent blood donorsEach donation draws on iron reserves
- Growing teenagersRapid growth increases iron demand
What it measures
What this ferritin test tells you, and what it does not
It tells you
- Whether the ferritin in your blood is below 20 ng/mL, the reference value the WHO uses for low iron stores (iron deficiency)
- From a fingertip blood sample, in ten minutes, at home
- Whether your iron reserves are sufficient: the symptoms of iron deficiency develop gradually and may go unnoticed
It does not tell you
- The exact ferritin number. It answers above or below one threshold
- Why your iron is low. That needs a doctor
- Whether you have iron overload. Do not use it if haemochromatosis is suspected or confirmed
- Do not use it during an infection or acute inflammation, with obesity, or after an injury to the spleen or liver. In these situations the result is not reliable
Contents
What is in the box
- 1 × test device in a sealed foil pouch
- 1 × dropper bottle of diluent 1 mL
- 2 × plastic capillary pipettes one is a spare
- 2 × sterile lancets one is a spare
- 1 × alcohol pad
- 1 × instructions for use in seven languages
- 1 × desiccant bag discard it, do not use it
Everything you need is in the box except a timer. Keep the foil pouch sealed until you test.
How it works
Five steps, about fifteen minutes
01
Prepare the lancet
Very important: do not touch the trigger. Twist the grey protective cap off, never pull it. Keep turning until it comes away.
02
Take a blood sample from your fingertip
Very important: use the pipette correctly — lightly touch the drop of blood with the pipette’s tip, not the skin, do not squeeze the bulb, fill to the line.
03
Put the blood into the sample well
Press the pipette bulb to release the blood into the sample well. Then wait 30 to 40 seconds until it is absorbed.
04
Add exactly 4 drops of diluent
Very important: add the diluent only after the 30 to 40 seconds. Hold the vial upright and add exactly four drops, 2–3 seconds apart.
05
Read the result after 10 minutes
Not after 15. Set a timer.
Instructions for useWatch the video demonstration
On the clock: the ten minutes, step by step
- Drop in
Blood from the pipette into the sample well.
- Wait, then diluent
Not before 30–40 seconds. Then exactly four drops, 2–3 seconds apart.
- Colour moves
Lines begin to form. Not readable yet.
- Read
Read the result now, in good light.
- Stop
Do not interpret the result after 15 minutes.
Your result
How to read your iron test result
Two lines means your iron is normal. One line means it is low. That is the opposite of a pregnancy test, and it is the mistake people make most often. The pictures below show each result.
Low iron positive
Only the C line is visible. Ferritin is below 20 ng/mL; the reserves are insufficient. See your doctor.
Normal negative
Both C and T lines are visible. There is probably no iron deficiency.
Invalid repeat
No C line. The result cannot be read. This happens most often when the diluent is added before the blood has been absorbed. Repeat with a new test and a fresh blood sample, and wait the full 30 to 40 seconds before you add the diluent.
A faint T line still counts as a line — the colour and intensity of the lines do not matter, only that they are homogeneous and complete. Read at 10 minutes; do not interpret the result after 15. The pictures are for illustration purposes; the actual lines may differ in intensity.
Next step
What to do with your result
If your iron is low
Book an appointment and tell your doctor you used a ferritin self-test that read below 20 ng/mL. Your doctor will decide whether further tests are needed and look for the cause. Speak to your doctor before you start an iron supplement.
If your iron is normal but you still feel tired
Iron is one of several causes. A normal result means iron deficiency is unlikely. Tiredness has other causes too, such as thyroid problems, infection or vitamin deficiency. Keep the result and show it to your doctor; it saves them a step.
The technology
What happens inside the test device
All of it happens on a paper strip inside the test device, in ten minutes.
- The sample moves
The drop of blood and the diluent travel along the strip by capillary action. No pump, no power.
- Antibodies find ferritin
The strip carries a pair of antibodies that recognise ferritin, tagged with a coloured reagent. As the sample passes, they bind to the ferritin in it.
- The T line
A second antibody fixed at T catches those complexes. Above 20 ng/mL, a coloured line appears. Below that, none.
- The C line
The C line captures the excess reagent whatever the sample holds. The C line only means that the test was performed well. No C line, no result.
This test has been used in hospitals and laboratories for more than 20 years. It gives one answer — above or below the threshold — not a number.
Quality
Made in France, checked batch by batch
30+
years of diagnostic expertise — rapid tests made in France since 1991
- ISO 13485The international quality-management standard for organisations that design, manufacture and service medical devices
- Every batch checkedDefined checks completed before a batch is released
- Monitored after releasePerformance tracked for as long as the batch is on the market
Notified body 0483ISO 13485Made in FranceCE-marked IVD
The Patris Health promise. No valid result? Write to us and we replace the test or refund the purchase price. It applies whenever the test was performed as the instructions describe, and we do not argue about it.
Specification
Technical data for the iron test
| Intended use | Qualitative immunochromatographic screening test for ferritin in capillary whole blood, for self-testing by lay users |
|---|---|
| Analyte | Ferritin |
| Method | Lateral flow immunoassay |
| Cut-off | 20 ng/mL (determined against the WHO reference) |
| Sample | Capillary whole blood from a fingertip, pipette filled to the line |
| Time to result | Read at 10 minutes; do not interpret after 15 minutes |
| Agreement | 98 % overall agreement with reference methods (95 % CI 92.58–100 %) |
| Storage | 4 to 30 °C, do not freeze |
| Expiry date | Indicated on the label and the foil pouch |
| Device type | CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device (IVD) for self-testing |
| Certificates | CE 0483 · ISO 13485 |
Questions
Asked before ordering
How accurate is an iron deficiency test at home compared with the laboratory?+
In the evaluation studies, the test agreed with laboratory reference methods in 98 % of cases (95 % CI 92.58–100 %). The difference is what you get back: the laboratory reports a ferritin number, this test tells you whether you are above or below 20 ng/mL. For a first answer that is enough; the number comes from your doctor afterwards. As with any test, false-positive and false-negative results are possible.
Does the finger prick hurt?+
It is a brief prick. Wash your hands with warm water first, massage the finger towards the tip for 10 to 15 seconds, and prick the side of the fingertip. The needle retracts into the lancet straight away.
Can children use it?+
Not for children under five. For an older child, ask your doctor first whether a ferritin check makes sense.
What if I cannot get enough blood?+
Massage the finger gently from its base towards the tip, with a light squeeze-and-release motion, until a large drop forms. Then fill the pipette to the line. Every kit has a spare lancet and pipette for a second attempt.
The lancet did nothing when I pressed it+
A lancet works only once. If the grey protective cap was pulled off by force instead of twisted, the lancet may already have been triggered. Take the spare lancet, give the cap a quarter turn, keep turning until it comes away, then press the lancet firmly against the side of the fingertip and press the trigger button.
Why did I get an invalid result?+
The most common causes are an incorrect amount of blood, adding the diluent before the blood was absorbed, or a test device that was exposed to moisture before use. A test device can be used only once, so repeat with a new test: fill the pipette to the line, wait 30 to 40 seconds, then add four drops. Write to us and we replace the test.
How do I dispose of the lancet?+
The needle retracts into the lancet body after use, so all components can go in household waste. If your pharmacy collects sharps separately, use that; it is the tidier option.
Sources
Herter-Aeberli, I., Andersson, M., & Galetti, V. (2026). Iron status in women of reproductive age in Switzerland: The role of inflammation and ferritin thresholds for the prevalence of iron deficiency – a cross-sectional study. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(2), 221–227. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-025-01685-z
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2025, September 20). Iron deficiency anemia: Symptoms & causes. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2025, September 4). Iron: Fact sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/
Nolte, S., Krüger, K., Hollander, K., & Carlsohn, A. (2024). Approaches to prevent iron deficiency in athletes. Deutsche Zeitschrift für Sportmedizin, 75(5), 195–202. https://doi.org/10.5960/dzsm.2024.607
World Health Organization. (n.d.). Anaemia. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://www.who.int/health-topics/anaemia
Last reviewed 2 October 2026
Instructions for use
Patris Health Iron Deficiency Home Test
Detection of iron deficiency in whole blood. CE-marked in-vitro diagnostic medical device for self-testing.
This is the English part of the multi-language instructions for use. The printed instructions in the box carry the same text in seven languages: English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch and Slovenian. If the version printed on the instructions in your box differs from this one, follow the instructions in your box.
Precautions and test components
Read this before you start: safety, storage and what is in the kit.
Testing procedure
Step by step, with a picture for each step.
Interpretation of the results
How to read your result, with pictures.
About the test
Background, questions and answers, accuracy.
Questions about the test: help@patris-health.com
Instructions for use ANEMV02, January 2026 · © Patris Health. Copying and reproduction are not permitted.
