Hepcidin
Hepcidin is a hormone made mainly by your liver that acts as the master regulator of how much iron your body absorbs from food and releases from storage. When hepcidin is high, iron is held back; when it's low, more iron becomes available.
Bioactive form is hepcidin-25. Master regulator of systemic iron homeostasis. Suppressed in iron deficiency and hypoxia; elevated in inflammation, iron overload. Reference intervals vary substantially by assay platform (LC-MS/MS vs. immunoassay); use lab-specific ranges.
Hepcidin helps explain the 'why' behind many iron results, since it controls iron absorption and distribution. It's central to understanding anemia of inflammation, where high hepcidin locks iron away even when stores exist. It can add useful context to a standard iron panel, though it's a more specialized test.
A high hepcidin can reflect inflammation, infection, or iron overload, and it tends to reduce iron availability by limiting absorption and release. Because inflammation strongly drives it, an elevated value needs careful interpretation. It's read alongside ferritin and the rest of your iron status.
A low hepcidin allows more iron absorption and is often seen when the body needs iron, such as in iron deficiency. It can also appear in certain inherited iron-overload conditions.
Hepcidin testing is less standardized than other iron markers, so reference ranges vary and availability differs by lab. A clinician can advise whether it's helpful in your situation and how to interpret it.
Sources
- Iron · Health Professional Fact Sheet, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
- Iron-Deficiency Anemia · MedlinePlus
Educational context only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex; always discuss your results with a clinician.
Associations to explore with a clinician, not a diagnosis from a single number.