“But my bloods are normal?”
Why reference ranges don’t always tell the whole story.
We hear this in clinic all the time.
“My doctor said everything is normal.”
Yet you’re exhausted. Your hair is falling out. Your periods are horrendous. You’re freezing. You can’t concentrate. Your mood has fallen off a cliff and you’re pretty sure feeling this average shouldn’t be considered normal.
And you’re right to keep asking questions.
A pathology reference range is useful. Very useful. But it is not the same thing as saying, “This is the perfect level for you and explains absolutely nothing about how you feel.”
Reference ranges are generally designed to help identify values outside an expected range in a particular tested population. They are an important clinical tool, but they’re only one piece of the puzzle.
At Tonic Co., we look at the numbers and the human attached to them.
We look at where your result sits within the range. We look at previous blood tests and whether something is trending up or down. We look at your symptoms, your cycle, diet, medications, training, sleep, stress and health history.
Because context matters.
A ferritin result might technically sit inside the laboratory range, but if it has steadily dropped over the past two years and you have heavy periods, fatigue and hair shedding, that deserves a closer look.
The same goes for B12, thyroid markers, vitamin D, glucose regulation and plenty of other markers we commonly review in clinic.
This doesn't mean chasing some magical “optimal” number you found on Instagram.
It means using pathology properly.
Blood tests help us ask better questions. They help us spot patterns, identify deficiencies, decide when further investigation is warranted and, importantly, know when something needs to go back to your GP.
Sometimes your bloods genuinely are reassuringly normal and we need to look elsewhere.
That information matters too.
We’re not interested in finding something wrong with you.
We’re interested in understanding what is going on.
Less guessing. More context. A plan that actually fits your body and your life.
