I’ve Been Told My Labs Are Normal—So Why Don’t I Feel Well?
If you’re feeling exhausted, bloated, anxious, or just “off,” but your doctor says your labs are normal—you’re not alone.
Every day, I see women struggling with persistent fatigue, stubborn weight gain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, or brain fog—yet their standard lab work comes back in the "normal range." In fact, I have struggled with exactly this same problem myself. I knew something wasn’t right, and the doctor assured me that everything was fine. It was the early days of understanding and diagnosing gluten intolerance, and he led me to believe that I was crazy for thinking gluten could be the culprit in my case. He told me to go back to eating a normal diet. I considered following his advice, and in the end, decided to listen to my body and educate myself.
So what’s going on when this happens? The problem isn’t you. It’s the way conventional lab tests are interpreted.
Why Standard Blood Work Falls Short
Conventional medicine primarily looks for disease, not dysfunction. Standard blood work is designed to detect severe illness, not subtle imbalances.
Here’s what often gets missed:
“Normal” Isn’t Always Optimal – Lab reference ranges are based on averages, not on what’s ideal for vibrant health, and overtime the ranges have changed as the population has gotten sicker.
Early Warning Signs Get Overlooked – Many conditions, like thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, or nutrient deficiencies, don’t show up in standard tests until they are severe.
Lab Panels Are Often Too Basic – Doctors may only check TSH for thyroid, missing free T3, free T4, reverse T3, and antibodies—which give a full picture of thyroid health.
How Functional Medicine Testing Finds What Others Miss
Instead of looking for disease alone, functional medicine looks at patterns, trends, and optimal ranges.
Here’s how I take a deeper approach:
Comprehensive Blood Panels – Includes thyroid, vitamin D, fasting insulin, ferritin, homocysteine, and inflammatory markers.
Hormone Testing (DUTCH Test) – Maps hormone metabolism over 24 hours, revealing imbalances that standard tests miss.
Gut Testing (GI-MAP & SIBO Breath Test) – Identifies gut infections, leaky gut, and imbalances.
Nutrient & Food Sensitivity Testing (Wheat Zoomer, Micronutrient Testing) – Detects hidden deficiencies and sensitivities.
What You Can Do If Your Labs Are “Normal” But You Still Don’t Feel Well
Trust your body. Speaking as someone that has experienced this, trust me when I say, if something feels off, it’s worth digging deeper.
Work with a practitioner who looks at optimal ranges, not just “normal” values. Whoever you choose to work with, they should understand that things are not always black and white.
Consider functional testing to get a full picture of what’s happening in your body. While this is not always necessary, it is a helpful tool to quickly understand what is happening in your body.
Ready to Find Real Answers?
If you’re tired of guessing and want to finally understand what’s going on in your body, I’m here to help. I offer comprehensive lab reviews and personalized wellness plans to help you feel like yourself again.
Book a free consultation today to get started.