Reference ranges don’t always tell the complete story…
Comprehensive blood work can be a powerful tool in understanding your health. What is your experience when you get blood work done? Does your practitioner sit down with you and conduct a thorough, thoughtful analysis of the findings? Too often, the answer is no. We just hear, or get a note in our portal, that “everything is normal”.
The problem is you don’t necessarily feel “normal”
Your labs look good, but you feel less than good. As you probably have seen, reference ranges are often provided with your labs. These reference ranges can vary according to the lab, but basically show data based on a wide population of people getting the blood work done. It’s important to understand that reference ranges are just that – ranges. If you fall within range, but you still feel as if something is off, it is worth exploring. Furthermore, reference ranges may not be based on a healthy population. Ranges have broadened over the years because general health has declined.
The “normal” ranges represent everyone who has been tested for that marker. So, “normal blood levels”, meaning that they fall within the reference range provided, does not mean that they are optimal for you. Optimal ranges are usually tighter, smaller ranges. And to take it a step even further, optimal levels should be personalized.
This is why…
So many people don’t feel good even when their labs return “normal”
Let’s take Vitamin D for instance.
Vitamin D levels have a wide normal reference range, often reported as 30 – 100 ng/mL. Optimal ranges, based on research, are more like 60 – 80 ng/mL, although each individual may have a different optimal number depending on various factors like absorption and genetics. When clients are outside of these ranges, it can give us clues that something within the physiology of this person is off.
Tracking “normal” trends
It’s important to track trends in lab results over time, rather than focusing on a single result, as changes in a client’s baseline value can be more indicative of an underlying problem.
These trends are worth noting because you can do something about it (think diet and lifestyle changes!) that could make a huge difference in the trajectory of your health.
Our wellness experts are trained to evaluate and interpret blood panels, and to look at those values in context with signs and symptoms the client is experiencing.
