Panel: contents depend on the order · Minerals
Iron panel: what is actually included?
Read the component list before comparing two iron panels.
Factual and editorial verification: October 21, 2026. No independent clinical review has been performed. This guide is educational, not personal medical advice.
Direct answer
An iron panel is not one fixed bundle. Check whether it lists serum iron, TIBC, calculated saturation, and ferritin. More reported rows do not always mean more separately measured tests. [1] [2]
What is an iron panel?
An iron panel groups iron-related measurements. The name alone does not promise a fixed bundle. Some orders list iron and binding measures; ferritin may be separate. Check the exact included components. [1] [2]
Which measurements should I look for?
These names may appear in iron testing. This is a reading guide, not a promise that every panel contains them. [1]
| Name | What it helps describe | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Serum iron | Iron circulating in blood | Is the measurement included? |
| TIBC (total iron-binding capacity) | How much iron blood proteins can bind | How does this lab obtain it? |
| Transferrin | A protein that carries iron | Is it measured or used to derive TIBC? |
| Transferrin saturation | How much of the iron-carrying capacity is in use | Is this calculated result reported? |
| Ferritin | An iron-storage protein | Is ferritin explicitly included or separate? |
TIBC and saturation can be derived from other measurements. More rows on a report do not always mean more separately measured tests. [2]
Why might a clinician order iron tests?
Iron tests can help investigate iron deficiency, possible iron overload, or some forms of anemia. The useful combination depends on the clinical question. Buying a larger panel is not automatically better. [1]
How should I prepare?
Confirm fasting, collection time, and any supplement instructions with the clinician or lab for the exact order. Instructions vary by components and laboratory. Do not copy one catalog’s fasting or supplement schedule onto every iron panel. [2]
Ask what to do about iron-containing supplements and prescribed treatment. Do not stop or change treatment on website advice.
How is the sample taken?
These measurements generally use a blood sample. The laboratory sets the collection and processing requirements for its methods. [1]
What can and cannot the panel tell me?
Iron results need to be read together with health history and sometimes a CBC or other information. Time of day, recent food, and inflammation can complicate interpretation. A result alone does not identify the cause of low or high iron. [1] [2]
Before you buy: what is in your iron test?
Similar names can hide different contents. Serum iron checks iron in your blood. TIBC describes how much iron the blood’s carrier proteins can hold. Iron saturation is a percentage calculated from iron and binding-capacity results. Ferritin helps assess stored iron. Your clinician can help decide which measurements are useful for you. [1] [3] [4]
Five offering groups, five exact examples. These are not equivalent shopping baskets. “Included” refers only to the named listing; “not listed” means absent from its inspected component list. Other products with similar names may differ. This is a comparison of contents, not a recommendation to order tests.
On a small screen, swipe the comparison table sideways to see every column. Full details for each offering follow below.
| Offering | Serum iron | TIBC | Calculated saturation | Ferritin | Other listed measurements | Displayed test price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total iron Iron Total Test | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | None listed | $20.95 Fee unknown |
| Iron and TIBC Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity Test | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | None listed | $23.95 Fee unknown |
| Iron plus ferritin Iron Total and Ferritin Panel | Included | Not listed | Not listed | Included | None listed | $43.95 Fee unknown |
| Iron/TIBC/ferritin Iron, Tibc and Ferritin Panel | Included | Included | Included | Included | None listed | $41.95 Fee unknown |
| Anemia panels — one example Anemia Health – Basic | Included | Included | Included | Not listed | CBC with differential and platelets; separately measured transferrin. No ferritin, B12, folate or CMP listed. | $54.95 Fee unknown |
TIBC is a binding-capacity result; its method can involve calculation rather than a separate direct transferrin measurement. Saturation is calculated. The anemia example adds a separate transferrin test and CBC with differential and platelets. It does not list ferritin, B12 or folate. A larger test count does not mean more useful testing for every person. [3] [4]
The $43.95 iron-plus-ferritin listing and the $41.95 iron/TIBC/ferritin listing illustrate why price and test counts alone can mislead. Check exact contents and the final order. We have not verified every similarly named catalog variant.
Check the exact order and preparation
The four iron-focused listings below specify a fasting morning sample; the anemia bundle specifies a different fasting duration. These instructions belong to those exact orders. They do not establish one fasting rule for all iron tests. General medical sources and laboratories can give different instructions. Follow the current requisition and ask the collecting laboratory if instructions conflict.
Iron Total Test
Test / component code: 571. Displayed test price: $20.95 USD. Collection fee and other charges: not verified for your order or location. Price checked October 22, 2026 (UTC).
Listing preparation: Morning collection; at least 8 hours fasting, water only. Ask your healthcare professional about medicines and supplements; do not change treatment based on this website.
Iron and Total Iron Binding Capacity Test
Test / component code: 7573. Displayed test price: $23.95 USD. Collection fee and other charges: not verified for your order or location. Price checked October 22, 2026 (UTC).
Listing preparation: Morning collection; at least 8 hours fasting, water only. Ask your healthcare professional about medicines and supplements; do not change treatment based on this website.
Iron Total and Ferritin Panel
Test / component code: Bundle ID not displayed; components 571 + 457. Displayed test price: $43.95 USD. Collection fee and other charges: not verified for your order or location. Price checked October 22, 2026 (UTC).
Listing preparation: Morning collection; at least 8 hours fasting, water only. Ask your healthcare professional about medicines and supplements; do not change treatment based on this website.
Iron, Tibc and Ferritin Panel
Test / component code: 5616. Displayed test price: $41.95 USD. Collection fee and other charges: not verified for your order or location. Price checked October 22, 2026 (UTC).
Listing preparation: Morning collection; at least 8 hours fasting, water only. Ask your healthcare professional about medicines and supplements; do not change treatment based on this website.
Anemia Health – Basic
Test / component code: Bundle ID not displayed; components 6399 + 7573 + 891. Displayed test price: $54.95 USD. Collection fee and other charges: not verified for your order or location. Price checked October 22, 2026 (UTC).
Listing preparation: Morning collection; at least 12 hours fasting. Follow the current order instructions. Ask your healthcare professional about medicines and supplements; do not change treatment based on this website.
Link verification: Each destination was observed in the personalized Order Your Own Labs storefront, with its partner path preserved. We have not placed a test order or transaction-tested commission credit. Overall bundle order IDs were not displayed for the two bundles; their visible component codes are shown instead.
Check eligibility before ordering
Ulta’s official indexed FAQ lists New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island as excluded from its direct-access service. Its How It Works page and direct-access guide also list Hawaii. These provider pages are not fully consistent. Confirm both your location and the collection site with Ulta before purchase; do not assume eligibility because a product page opens.
We did not verify age rules or every location’s collection services for these orders. The provider must confirm those details. The two bundles above did not display an overall order number; their exact listing names, destinations and visible component codes are recorded instead. Do not substitute a similarly named panel based only on a test count.
Commercial recheck: October 21, 2026 (America/Chicago; October 22 UTC). All five exact offering names, displayed prices, component lists and preparation notes were rechecked in the personalized storefront. Detailed fee and eligibility policy pages were available as indexed official text; live detailed answers were not displayed. No collection location was selected and no checkout or commission-credit transaction was performed.
Collection fees and final cost
A displayed test price is not a checkout total. We did not select a collection location or verify the charge for a particular order. Ulta’s indexed official FAQ describes a standard $12.95 collection fee that can vary by site and is added at checkout. This is a published policy lead, not a verified fee for your order: the live FAQ did not display its detailed answers in this session. Treat the collection fee and any other charges as unverified, and confirm them with the provider before purchase. No fixed total or promise that one fee covers multiple orders is made. Ulta fee information.
Pricing Disclaimer
Laboratory test prices are provided for informational purposes and may change without notice. Actual costs may vary due to laboratory location, collection fees, promotional offers, test availability, geographic restrictions, and other circumstances outside our control.
Prices displayed on OrderMyOwnLabs.com may differ from those shown by the testing provider at the time of purchase.
The testing provider’s final checkout price is the authoritative price. Please verify all charges and test details before placing an order.
References and editorial verification
Iron purchasing comparison added and fact-checked October 22, 2026 (UTC), after reading HANDOFF-IRON. Provider-specific contents, prices and preparation are supported by the five exact listings above; independent medical sources support the explanations. No independent clinical review is claimed.
Factual and editorial verification completed October 21, 2026 against the specific references below. Prepared by OrderMyOwnLabs using AI-assisted research and fact-checking. No independent clinical review or medical certification is claimed.
- MedlinePlus: Iron tests
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories: Iron and total iron-binding capacity
- Quest Diagnostics: Iron, Total and Total Iron Binding Capacity, code 7573 — exact included results
- Quest Diagnostics: Iron, TIBC and Ferritin Panel, code 5616 — exact included results
Provider-specific source: Ulta’s exact product listing (affiliate link). We may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate Disclosure. Checked October 22, 2026 (UTC); no checkout or commission attribution test.
Editorial scope: test identity, uses, preparation, limitations, and comparisons checked against these references. Individual diagnosis, treatment targets, and interpretation remain the responsibility of a qualified healthcare professional.
Medical Disclaimer
OrderMyOwnLabs.com is an independent educational and referral website, not a medical provider or laboratory. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about which tests are appropriate for you and how to interpret your results. Testing services, prices, availability, and ordering requirements are determined by independent third-party providers.