WASHINGTON — Many Americans who were told their iron levels were normal may in fact be iron deficient under new diagnostic standards from the nation's leading blood disorder specialists, a change aimed at catching one of the world's most common and overlooked medical conditions earlier.

The American Society of Hematology, or ASH, has raised the blood-test thresholds doctors use to diagnose iron deficiency, roughly doubling the cutoff for most adults. The guidelines, issued Sept. 16 and published in the society's peer-reviewed journal Blood Advances, are the group's first evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on diagnosing the condition.

Iron deficiency affects about 2 billion people worldwide and about 10 million adults in the United States, according to ASH. Left untreated, it can progress to iron deficiency anemia, one of the most common types of anemia, which occurs when a lack of iron prevents the body from making enough hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen through the body.

"Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia are among the most common yet neglected medical conditions globally," ASH President Dr. Robert S. Negrin said in a statement.

"Many patients live with symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, dizziness or difficulty concentrating for months or even years before iron deficiency is recognized. These guidelines are an important step toward closing that gap by helping clinicians diagnose iron deficiency earlier and more accurately, so more patients can receive the care they need," Negrin said.

Iron deficiency is diagnosed with a blood test that measures ferritin, a protein that........

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