My values are normal, and I still feel unwell
This is one of the more frustrating outcomes there is. You go to your GP with symptoms, blood is drawn, and the conclusion is that everything is fine. While you do not feel fine.
First things first: a normal result does not make your symptoms less real. What it says is that the measured values fall within the population spread. That is different from a statement that nothing is going on.
Four explanations that often apply
1. It was not measured
The most common one. A standard GP panel often contains no ferritin, no free T3 and no vitamin D. If a value was not measured, it is not normal, it is unknown. Request your result and check what was actually in it before repeating anything.
2. You are inside the range, but at the edge
A ferritin just above the floor is not the same as a good store. A TSH at the top of the range reads differently from one in the middle. See reference versus optimal.
3. You have nothing to compare against
A value of 45 says little if you do not know it was 90 two years ago. Being inside the range does not change the fact that you halved. Without an earlier measurement that movement is invisible, and movement is often the interesting part.
4. What you feel does not come from your blood
Sleep quality, chronic stress, too little or too much load, recovery, nutrition and mood. All of those shape your energy and none of them appear in a tube. A blood test cannot rule them out, because it does not measure them.
Want a second read on your result?
Have a result you cannot make sense of? Send a photo or the values that stand out. Mario will look at it, even if you have nothing drawn here.
Reachable Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 18:00. An appointment can usually be scheduled within a few days.
A sensible next step
- Request your previous result from your GP and see which markers were and were not in it.
- Add what was missing rather than repeating the same thing. For fatigue that is usually ferritin, free T3 and vitamin D. See the fatigue page.
- Repeat after 8 to 12 weeks, so you see movement instead of a snapshot.
- Stay with your GP if symptoms persist. A blood test is one instrument, not the only one.
And the other side
There is a trap in the opposite direction too: measuring until something comes back abnormal and then promoting that into an explanation. Measure forty markers and statistically one will fall outside the range. That is usually noise, not an answer.
Measuring helps when you know in advance what you are looking for and why.
Frequently asked questions
My GP says everything is fine. Is that wrong?
It is right for what was measured.
A normal result means the values that were determined fall inside the reference range. Values that were not determined say nothing either way.
Which markers are most often missing from a standard panel?
Ferritin, free T3 and vitamin D.
Request your result and check what was in it. Adding what was missing is more useful than repeating the same panel.
Can I be inside the range and still have a deficiency?
For some markers, yes.
The floor used by many labs is low compared to what is considered comfortable in practice. Ferritin and vitamin D are the best-known examples.
Is it useful to measure everything?
No, that mostly produces noise.
With forty markers one will almost always fall outside the range without meaning anything. Measure with a question in mind.
When should I go back to my GP?
If symptoms persist or worsen.
A blood test is one instrument, not the only one. Mario Test does not diagnose and does not replace medical care.
Note: a blood test gives you insight and direction. It does not prove or rule out a condition on its own. Results are meant for prevention and for tracking change over time, not as a diagnosis. For symptoms or values outside the reference range, see your GP.