The test your doctor should be running but isn't... and how it can be deadly to miss

A nutrition expert is warning women not to skip out on a vital blood test.

Alicia Wolf, a chef and diet expert in Texas, warned many routine blood panels at the doctor's office may not test for ferritin, a protein in the blood that helps carry iron.

Iron is a crucial component of hemoglobin, which helps carry oxygen to vital organs and tissues.

Without iron, organs like the lungs and heart don't have enough oxygen to function, increasing the risk of deadly issues like organ failure.

Ms Wolf cautioned that women are more likely than men to suffer from low ferritin levels, largely due to blood loss during menstruation and increased ferritin needs during pregnancy.

Despite ferritin's crucial role in iron production, 'most likely your doctor isn't regularly checking this,' Ms Wolf said.

She noted this could lead to symptoms like headaches, anxiety, extreme fatigue, and dizziness.

The mother-of-two urged women to specifically request a 'full' iron panel with ferritin to monitor levels, which can be increased with iron-rich foods like lean red meat, fish, fruits, peppers, and broccoli.

Ms Wolf wrote in the caption of a TikTok video last month: 'Women, this is SO important - you must request a FULL iron panel with ferritin in addition to your CBC (complete blood count) bloodwork every year.

'Why is ferritin important? It's the most specific indicator of your iron status, used to determine an iron deficiency. Ferritin is your iron storage, needed for so many functions.

'When it gets low, your body rations it for the most basic functions - making you feel like hot garbage.'

According to the Mayo Clinic, men should have a ferritin level of 24 to 336 micrograms per liter, while the normal range for women is 11 to 307 micrograms per liter.

Ms Wolf said: 'Most hematologists will tell you ideally you should be over 100 ng/ml. Under this, you can experience symptoms.'

A CBC test checks iron, but ferritin is not always included. A doctor may order a separate ferritin blood test if they suspect low iron, however.

Women who have heavy menstrual cycles are most likely to have low ferritin levels due to blood loss.

However, the risk is also greater for pregnant women, as the body needs more iron and ferritin to carry oxygen to the fetus and the placenta.

Consistently low ferritin, which results in low iron, can lead to iron-deficiency anemia.

Found in up to one in three US adults, this is the most common form of anemia, a condition in which the blood doesn't have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body.

While anemia can be treated with iron supplements and more iron-rich foods like red meat, fruits, and leafy green vegetables, if it goes undetected, it can lead to heart and lung issues.

For example, the heart would have to pump more blood to compensate for the lack of oxygen in the red blood cells, causing a rapid or irregular heartbeat. Over time, this damages the heart muscle and can cause the heart to fail.

During pregnancy, low iron could cause premature birth or low birth weight.

Too much ferritin, however, may lead to an iron overload in the organs, increasing the risk of damage.

Ms Wolf, who suffers from migraines, also noted: 'Getting my ferritin up has been life changing for my energy and migraine management.'