🍏 You Don’t Want to Be ‘NORMAL’ – Why “Normal” Bloodwork Doesn’t Mean You’re Healthy

Mar 1, 2025 | 0 comments

Ever been told your bloodwork is ‘normal’—but you still feel exhausted, foggy, or off?

You’re not alone. Many people struggle with symptoms despite receiving “normal” lab results. But here’s the thing: normal isn’t the same as optimal.

What’s Wrong With ‘Normal’ Bloodwork?

In conventional medicine, ‘normal’ ranges are based on population averages—but do you really want to be compared to a population where chronic disease is widespread?

Functional Medicine takes a proactive approach, looking at bloodwork through the lens of optimal health, not just disease detection. This means:

✅ Optimal vs. Average: We focus on what’s ideal for longevity and vitality—not just avoiding disease.
✅ Ratios Over Single Values: A high LDL isn’t always bad—but what about your triglyceride-to-HDL ratio?
✅ Connecting the Dots: Low iron? We check for hidden causes like thyroid dysfunction, inflammation, or gut issues.

Functional vs. Conventional Bloodwork Analysis

💡 Example #1: Thyroid Function

  • Conventional medicine considers TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) ‘normal’ up to 4.0 mIU/L.
  • Functional Medicine considers 1.0–2.5 optimal—anything above that might signal underlying thyroid dysfunction.

💡 Example #2: Iron & Fatigue

  • ‘Normal’ ferritin levels start at 20 ng/mL—but this is the bare minimum.
  • For energy, hair growth, and proper oxygen delivery, ferritin should ideally be 70–100 ng/mL.

💡 Example #3: Blood Sugar & Metabolic Health

  • A fasting glucose of 5.5 mmol/L might not raise alarms, but if insulin is also high, it signals early metabolic dysfunction.
  • Instead of waiting for full-blown diabetes, Functional Medicine intervenes before it happens.

Why Your Bloodwork Might Not Be Telling the Whole Story

Before you even get tested, your results can be affected by lifestyle factors that most people (and even doctors) don’t take into account.

Factors That Can Skew Blood Test Results

🛑 Exercise: Avoid strenuous activity 3 days before testing (affects ALT, CK levels).
🛑 Fasting: Fast for under 10 hours—longer fasts can falsely elevate triglycerides & insulin markers.
🛑 Alcohol: Avoid for at least 3 days before testing.
🛑 Medications: Certain meds (e.g., steroids, thyroid hormones) can affect results.
🛑 Dehydration: Ensure proper hydration (750mL+ daily for 3 days prior) to prevent falsely elevated values.
🛑 Supplements: Pause certain supplements before testing for accurate readings.
🛑 Sleep: Aim for 8 hours of quality sleep—poor sleep impacts blood sugar and inflammatory markers.
🛑 Recent Illness: Wait at least 3 weeks post-illness before testing inflammatory markers.
🛑 Food Reactions: Avoid testing within 3 days of a negative food reaction.
🛑 Iron Infusion: Wait 6 weeks post-infusion to assess true iron levels.

The Takeaway: You Are What You Absorb

If you’re still experiencing fatigue, brain fog, bloating, or stubborn weight gain despite ‘normal’ bloodwork, it’s time to dig deeper.

✅ Your symptoms are real.
✅ Your bloodwork should reflect your health, not just population averages.
✅ You deserve answers—not just a prescription or dismissal.

🔎 Want a Functional Medicine Review of Your Bloodwork?

📊 Book a free consult, and I’ll go through your results with you:
👉Book here!

Because normal isn’t the goal—optimal is.