Dr. Kristin Lander
Have you ever been told that your lab results were normal, even though you didn’t feel particularly healthy?
Here’s something many people don’t realize: a laboratory reference range is not necessarily a picture of optimal health. In most cases, it simply reflects the range commonly found in a particular population or the point at which a value becomes concerning enough to diagnose or treat.
Vitamin D is a good example. Depending on the laboratory, a result may not be flagged as low until it falls below 20 or 30 ng/mL. But that doesn’t mean every value above that line is equally appropriate for every person. Vitamin D must be interpreted alongside bone health, sun exposure, diet, medications, medical history, and other factors. More is not always better, either; very high levels can create problems of their own.
HDL cholesterol, the number commonly called “good cholesterol,” offers another example. An HDL below 40 mg/dL in men or 50 in women is generally considered low, while levels around 60 have historically been associated with lower cardiovascular risk. But extremely high HDL is not automatically more protective. We now understand that heart health cannot be determined from one cholesterol number alone.
The same principle applies to blood sugar. An A1c of 5.7 percent marks the beginning of the prediabetes range, but blood-sugar regulation does not suddenly become unhealthy overnight when someone crosses that line. Gradual changes may be developing long before a diagnosis appears.
This doesn’t mean we should disregard reference ranges or chase perfect numbers. It means we should look at patterns.
Are your numbers changing over time? Do several markers tell the same story? How do they fit with your blood pressure, waist circumference, strength, sleep, energy, family history, and daily habits?
The goal of testing shouldn’t simply be to prove that you are not sick. It should help you understand where your health is today and what you can do now to protect it for the future.
Best of all, these numbers are not a verdict. They are information, and information gives you choices. Small, consistent changes in how you eat, move, sleep, and manage stress can meaningfully change the direction of your health.
Your health is not fixed – and it’s never too late to improve it.
Favorites Count: 0