Why “Normal” Lab Results Might Not Be Normal for You

When I first started tracking my health seriously, I felt like I was doing everything right. I was sleeping well. Eating decently. Moving daily. Yet I was constantly tired. Brain fog was becoming the norm. Something wasn’t right. I got my labs done.

The doctor looked them over and smiled:
“Everything’s normal.”

But I didn’t feel normal. That moment sparked something. A question I couldn’t shake: What if the problem isn’t in me – but in what we call “normal”?

The Problem With “Normal”

Most people assume that if their bloodwork falls within the “reference range,” they’re in good health. But reference ranges aren’t based on what’s optimal. They’re based on statistical averages. And that’s a problem. Reference intervals are typically derived from a wide swath of the population – not all of whom are healthy. In fact, as noted in a 2012 study published in Clinical Chemistry, “reference intervals are often derived from a mixed population, including individuals with undiagnosed disease or suboptimal health” (Katayev et al., 2012).

In other words, “normal” just means you’re not statistically unusual – not that you’re thriving.

Real-World Example: Thyroid Hormones

Let’s take thyroid function, for example. The reference range for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone) in many labs is 0.4–4.5 mIU/L. But multiple studies have suggested that symptoms of hypothyroidism (fatigue, weight gain, low mood) often appear well before someone crosses that upper threshold.

In fact, the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism noted that individuals with TSH >2.5 mIU/L may already show signs of thyroid dysfunction and would benefit from closer monitoring (Surks & Boucai, 2010). So, if you’re told your TSH of 3.9 is “normal,” that’s statistically true. But biologically? It may not be.

The Personal Baseline Revolution

Here’s what we believe at biongine: you are not an average. Your biology is unique. What’s optimal for one person might be suboptimal – or even dangerous – for another. That’s why we don’t just look at one snapshot. We look at:

• Trends over time
• Personal baselines (what’s normal for you)
• Context across systems (how one marker interacts with others)

Let’s say your ferritin (iron storage marker) is 35 ng/mL – within the “normal” range of 30–400. If your baseline used to be 90, and you’ve been feeling fatigued and short of breath, that 35 is a red flag – not a green light.

Why This Matters for Preventive Health

Most chronic diseases don’t start with a dramatic lab result. They start with small, progressive shifts – within the reference range.

• HbA1c rising from 5.2 to 5.6
• CRP creeping from 0.3 to 1.5
• Testosterone falling from 600 to 390

All still “normal.” All signaling early dysfunction. In a 2020 paper in Nature Medicine, researchers highlighted that “personalized, longitudinal monitoring” – rather than population-wide reference ranges – was critical for early detection of disease in asymptomatic individuals (Zhou et al., 2020).

That’s the future: not waiting for disease, but detecting the drift toward it – before symptoms start.

The biongine Approach

At biobgine, we’ve built a system that:

• Starts with a broad panel of biomarkers
• Combine top-notch tech with human brain power to detect deviations from your personal baseline
• Surfaces trends early, with meaningful context
• Empowers you (and your physician) to act proactively

We don’t accept “normal” as good enough. Because you didn’t build your life for average. And your biology deserves better than averages too.

Final Thought

So next time someone says “Your labs look fine” – ask a better question:

“Fine compared to who?”
“Fine compared to me six months ago?”