Why ‘Normal’ Doesn’t Mean Optimal: Rethinking Your Blood Test Results

When your GP says, “Your results are normal,” what they usually mean is, “You don’t meet the criteria for a diagnosis.” But being normal isn’t the same as being optimal. In fact, many people still feel fatigued, foggy, or unwell even when their lab values fall within NHS reference ranges.

This article explores why the traditional model of health testing can overlook real issues—and how TrueVitals offers a more personalised, performance-oriented approach.

1. What Are NHS Reference Ranges?

Reference ranges (also called “normal ranges”) are statistical averages based on a large population sample. In the UK, NHS labs typically define normal as the middle 95% of values from a healthy-looking population sample.

That means:

• 2.5% of healthy people will naturally fall below
• 2.5% will fall above
• The rest—regardless of age, symptoms, lifestyle—are considered "normal"

“A test result within a reference range does not always mean you are healthy.”

— Royal College of Pathologists (2020)¹

These ranges are designed to flag disease—not to optimise energy, mood, hormones, or long-term health.

2. The Problem with Population-Based Averages

Let’s take an example: Ferritin, a marker of iron storage.

• NHS normal range: 30–300 ng/mL (varies by lab and sex)
• Symptoms of iron deficiency (like fatigue or hair shedding) can appear below 50 ng/mL in many women
• Some functional medicine clinics suggest 70–100 ng/mL as optimal for performance and hair health

So, a woman with ferritin of 35 may be told she’s fine—yet she may be constantly tired and misdiagnosed as depressed.

The same applies to:

• B12: NHS flags deficiency <150 pmol/L, but symptoms can start at 250–300 pmol/L²
• TSH (thyroid): Often considered normal up to 4.5 mIU/L, yet many patients feel better <2.5³
• Testosterone: "Normal" may include men in their 70s, dragging the range down for younger males

3. Normal Doesn't Account for the Individual

Your age, sex, stress levels, diet, sleep, and exercise all affect what your optimal biomarker levels should be. The NHS isn’t designed to personalise blood test interpretation to that degree.

At TrueVitals, we ask:

• Are your levels optimal for your energy, not just acceptable on paper?
• Could you feel sharper, recover faster, or sleep deeper if your results moved within a tighter, more functional range?
• Are multiple low-normal markers combining to create a bigger issue?

4. TrueVitals: A New Standard of Insight

We created TrueVitals because we believe in measuring what matters—with meaning.

Our reports focus on:

• Optimal ranges, based on recent clinical evidence and performance-focused targets
• Contextual analysis, taking into account lifestyle data from your health quiz
• Actionable guidance, not vague conclusions

We don’t just show whether your levels are "normal." We show where they sit in relation to what's ideal for your function, performance, and long-term health.

5. The Shift from Reactive to Proactive Health

The NHS is designed for diagnosing illness, not optimising wellness. TrueVitals is designed for people who want:

• To feel better before things go wrong
• To improve performance, mood, and mental clarity
• To make data-driven decisions about lifestyle and nutrition

You shouldn’t have to wait until something breaks to find out it was underperforming. We believe in prevention over prescription.

Conclusion: Normal Isn’t Good Enough

Just because your results are normal doesn’t mean they’re working for you. If you’re tired of being told you’re “fine” while still feeling off—there’s a better way.

With TrueVitals, you don’t just get a number. You get a narrative.

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