Karen Martel Hormone Specialist on Instagram: "High ferritin does not automatically mean iron overload. And this is where so many women get confused — and stressed — about their labs. If your iron, saturation, and transferrin are normal but ferritin is high? >> That’s often inflammation, not excess iron. In midlife, ferritin can climb because of: • Fatty liver • Blood sugar & insulin issues • Alcohol • Medications • Hormone loss itself Ferritin is an inflammatory marker — not just an iron marker