Have you ever left your doctor’s appointment feeling a bit deflated because your test results came back “normal,” yet you still don’t feel quite right? You’re dealing with persistent fatigue, brain fog that makes you feel like you’re thinking through cotton wool, unexplained weight changes, or hormonal symptoms that are affecting your daily life—but according to your lab work, everything appears “fine.”

If this sounds familiar, please know you’re not alone. This is a common experience within our mainstream healthcare system, leaving many women feeling unheard and wondering whether they’re somehow overreacting to what they’re experiencing.

Here’s what I want you to know: your symptoms are real and valid, and there’s actually a very logical reason why “normal” results might be missing important clues about your health. The issue isn’t with you or your body—it’s simply how we’ve traditionally interpreted laboratory testing.

Understanding “Normal” Reference Ranges

When your GP orders blood work, the results come back with reference ranges that determine whether your values are considered “normal” or “abnormal.” What many people don’t realise is that these “normal” ranges are based on statistical averages from the general population—not necessarily what represents optimal health and vitality.

Imagine if you were to test 100 people at your local shopping centre. You’d naturally include people who might be unwell, taking various medications, managing stress, dealing with nutritional gaps, or working through different health challenges. The “normal” range captures where 95% of this diverse group falls, which inevitably includes many people who aren’t functioning at their best.

This statistical approach can be helpful for identifying serious disease states, but it’s not particularly useful for detecting the subtle imbalances that often drive those niggling symptoms that impact your quality of life.

When “Normal” Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story

Let me share what happened with one of my clients, Emma. At 38, she was managing her busy life whilst dealing with exhaustion that made even simple tasks feel overwhelming. Her hair had been thinning, she’d gained weight despite maintaining her usual eating habits, and she constantly felt cold—even on warm days.

When Emma’s GP ran a basic thyroid panel (only TSH) and the results came back “normal,” she was gently suggested that her symptoms were likely stress-related, that perhaps some lifestyle changes might help or she should consider antidepressants.

Emma’s TSH was 3.2 mIU/L—sitting comfortably within the “normal” range of 0.4-5.0. However, what we’ve learned through functional medicine is that many people feel their best when their TSH sits between 1.0-2.0 mIU/L. Emma’s level, whilst technically “normal,” suggested her thyroid was working quite hard to maintain normal function.

When Emma came to see me, we took a deeper dive into her thyroid function. We discovered her TSH wasn’t the only concern. Her Free T3 was languishing in the bottom portion of the range, her reverse T3 was elevated, and she had thyroid antibodies present—none of which had been included in her original testing.

Within a few months of gently supporting these underlying imbalances, Emma’s energy began returning, her hair became thicker, and she started feeling more like herself again. The key difference was having someone look beyond “normal” to understand what would be optimal for her unique body.

The Functional Approach: Optimal vs Normal

In functional medicine, we shift our perspective slightly. Instead of asking “Is there disease present?” we explore “Is this person thriving and functioning at their best?” This gentle reframe can make a profound difference in identifying and addressing health concerns early, often before they develop into something more significant.

Examples of This Different Perspective:

Vitamin D: Conventional medicine might consider 50 nmol/L “sufficient,” but functional practitioners recognise that levels >120 nmol/L often support better immune function, mood stability, and energy levels.

Iron Studies: Traditional medicine focuses on preventing anaemia, so ferritin levels above 30 ug/L are deemed acceptable. However, many women notice improvements in energy, hair health, and temperature regulation when ferritin sits between 80-100 ug/L.

Blood Sugar Balance: A fasting glucose of 5.5 nmol/L falls within “normal” parameters, but many people experience better energy stability and metabolic health when fasting glucose sits between 4.0 – 4.6 nmol/L.

Inflammation Markers: High-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels below 3.0 mg/L are considered normal, but levels above 1.0 mg/L might indicate underlying inflammation that could benefit from attention before it progresses.

Why This Particularly Matters for Women

Women’s health concerns are especially susceptible to the limitations of conventional reference ranges. Our hormones naturally fluctuate throughout the month, our nutritional needs can differ significantly, and unfortunately, our symptoms are sometimes dismissed as simply being “part of being a woman.”

Consider these familiar situations:

The Exhausted Mum: Your iron studies return “normal,” but your ferritin sits at 30 ug/L. Functionally, this level often isn’t sufficient to support optimal energy production, which might explain why you’re feeling so tired despite not being technically anaemic.

The Young Woman with Skin Concerns: Acne and irregular cycles are often brushed off as “normal hormonal changes,” but comprehensive assessment might reveal patterns like PCOS, insulin sensitivity issues, or nutritional imbalances that respond beautifully to natural support.

The Woman in Her 40s: You’re experiencing mood changes, weight fluctuations, and sleep disturbances, but your hormone levels are deemed “appropriate for your age.” Functional testing might uncover hormone metabolism patterns or adrenal function changes that could be gently supported to ease your transition.

Becoming Your Own Gentle Health Advocate

The encouraging news is that you don’t need to simply accept “normal” as the end of the conversation. Here are some thoughtful ways to advocate for your health:

1. Ask for Comprehensive Testing

If you’re experiencing symptoms, it’s perfectly reasonable to request more thorough testing. For thyroid concerns, this might include TSH, Free T4, Free T3, Reverse T3, and thyroid antibodies rather than just TSH alone.

2. Learn About Your Results

Take time to understand what your numbers actually represent. Knowledge is empowering, and understanding your results helps you have more meaningful conversations with your healthcare providers.

3. Notice Patterns Over Time

Your body is constantly changing, and tracking your markers across time can reveal important trends that single tests might miss.

4. Connect the Dots Between Symptoms and Results

Keeping track of how you feel alongside your test results can provide valuable insights for practitioners who understand functional approaches.

5. Seek Understanding Practitioners

Look for healthcare providers who are familiar with, or open to functional or integrative medicine principles. They’ll often interpret your results with a different lens and can help identify subtle imbalances before they develop into larger concerns.

Prevention and Optimisation: A Gentler Approach

Conventional medicine does wonderful work treating established diseases, but there’s also tremendous value in supporting health before problems or disease develops. By the time lab values fall outside “normal” ranges, there may already be significant changes occurring that could have been addressed much earlier and the need for pharmaceutical intervention increases.

Functional medicine complements conventional care by identifying subtle imbalances early, when they often respond well to gentle interventions like targeted nutrition, lifestyle adjustments, and natural support methods.

This isn’t about replacing necessary medical care—it’s about expanding our understanding to include optimisation and prevention alongside treatment when needed.

Your Journey Forward

Understanding the difference between normal and optimal is really just the beginning of a deeper relationship with your health. The female body truly is remarkable, and when we understand what it needs and provide gentle support, it has an incredible capacity to restore balance and vitality.

Your experiences matter. How you feel matters. And “normal” lab results don’t always capture the complete picture of your health story.

If you’ve been told everything is “normal” whilst still not feeling your best, please know that your instincts about your body are valid. There may indeed be more to discover, and working with practitioners who understand functional principles—or learning more about what your results really mean—might open up new possibilities for feeling better.

---

Ready to understand your health story more deeply? I’ve created a comprehensive guide called “Beyond Normal Labs: Your Essential Guide to Understanding What Your Test Results Really Mean.” It includes optimal ranges for 15 key health markers every woman should know, plus a gentle framework for interpreting your own results.

[DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE GUIDE]

You deserve to feel vibrant and well—not just “normal.” Understanding what your body is telling you through your lab work is a beautiful first step on that journey.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with lab testing. Have you ever had “normal” results while still not feeling quite right? Share your story below—your experience might help another woman feel less alone in her health journey.

In health,

Megan x