Yes—iron deficiency can occur without anemia, and the 2026 guidelines prioritize finding it in either case. That matters for the Iron (Serum) community. Anemia means the blood has too little of the protein that carries oxygen. Not having anemia does not rule out iron deficiency. The guidance treats finding low iron as important before anemia develops. The American Society of Hematology reviewed existing evidence for these guidelines. This was not a study testing a treatment in one group. A panel of experts included 1 patient representative. Evidence reviews covered research through July 2025, with support from the University of Kansas Health System. The goal was guidance for people worldwide, across different care settings. The panel agreed on 5 recommendations. Key points include Ferritin cutoffs for specific groups. These are test levels used to help identify iron deficiency. The guidance also addresses people with inflammation, the body's response to injury or illness. It discusses when other test cutoffs may matter, too. The supplied summary does not give the actual cutoffs or name those groups. It also does not report how many additional cases these recommendations would find. The panel noted gaps in the evidence and questions for future research. For members tracking bloodwork, the takeaway is about context, not a new target number. Keeping related test results together can make community comparisons more useful. Sharing test dates, values, and each lab's ranges adds detail beyond an anemia label. This summary offers no single cutoff everyone can apply to their results. What have your own bloodwork results shown about low iron, with or without anemia?