You Don’t Feel Like Yourself—But Your Labs Say You’re Fine
Fatigue. Brain fog. Weight changes. Mood swings.
You finally get labs done, hoping for answers.
Then comes the usual line: “Everything looks normal.”. But what if “normal” isn’t good enough?
What Does “Normal” Really Mean?
Most people assume normal = healthy.
But lab reference ranges are based on statistics, not on how people feel.
Labs typically collect data from a wide population and chart the results on a bell curve.
They define “normal” as the range that includes 95% of the population.
So unless you’re in the extreme 2.5% on either side, you’re considered fine. But this doesn’t account for whether you’re thriving—or just getting by.
The Problem With the Reference Population
Here’s what most people (and many providers) don’t realize:
That reference population often includes:
- People with early, undiagnosed disease
- People managing symptoms with medications
- People who aren’t well, but haven’t triggered a diagnosis
So your “normal” result may just mean you look like the average person… who may also be tired, inflamed, or hormonally out of balance. This is one of the biggest disconnects in conventional lab interpretation.
Normal vs. Optimal: A Closer Look
Let’s look at a few examples where “normal” doesn’t always reflect true wellness.
Fasting Glucose
Lab range: <100 mg/dL
Often flagged as high only after 100.
But a fasting glucose between 85–100 mg/dL can be completely healthy—depending on context.
The problem? It’s just one data point.
It doesn’t show:
- How your body handles meals
- Whether your glucose crashes mid-day
- If stress or sleep is spiking your numbers
This is why I use Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) to observe real-time patterns.
CGMs reveal the bigger picture—helping connect symptoms like irritability, fatigue, or cravings to what’s happening behind the scenes.
Vitamin D
Lab range: 30–100 ng/mL
You might be told you’re fine at 35 or 40.
But for optimal immune health, inflammation control, and mood stability, I find most people feel best when vitamin D is in the 75–85 ng/mL range.
This is a huge gap between being “not deficient” and being truly supported.
Why This Matters
When you’re told your labs are normal, but you know something isn’t right, you may be in the “functional gray zone.”
Nothing is severely out of range—but your body is signaling imbalance.
In naturopathic medicine, we look beyond disease markers.
We look for signs of dysfunction—subtle shifts that affect how you feel long before major conditions show up.
Bottom Line
Lab ranges aren’t black and white.
They’re based on the average—not the ideal.
And “normal” doesn’t always mean healthy.
Symptoms matter. Patterns matter.
Looking at optimal function—not just disease thresholds—is where real health begins.
Here is the link to my last blog titled How to Know if It’s Your Hormones or Something Else