Why Normal Labs Don’t Mean You’re Fine (And What Hormone Labs Reveal Instead)
You've been to multiple doctors. You've run hormone labs, thyroid panels, and probably every other test you could think of. Each time, you're told the same frustrating thing: "Your labs are normal. There's nothing we can do for you."
But meanwhile, you know you’re not imagining those symptoms! You're still dealing with things like bloating, anxiety, exhaustion, and awful periods. The issue could be that you haven't run the right hormone labs or haven’t looked at your results through the right lens.
Functional vs. Conventional Labs
Here’s an example - when your doctor runs labs, they're typically only checking TSH for thyroid function, which isn't even produced by your thyroid! And when they look at your results, they're using incredibly wide ranges of what they consider "normal."
On one side, you have people who are really sick and need medication. On the other side, you have people who are completely healthy and symptom-free. If you’re sitting right in the middle, you might not be “sick enough” for medication, but you’re definitely not thriving.
This is where functional hormone labs come in. Instead of looking at the wide "normal" ranges that include sick and healthy people, functional ranges focus on the tight ranges where people are actually symptom-free. Your doctor isn't trained in nutrition or lifestyle changes that could move those markers into the optimal range, so when you're not sick enough for medication, you're told you're "fine."
What Makes Hormone Labs Truly Functional
Almost any lab can be considered “functional” depending on the lens you’re looking at it through. For example, blood work can absolutely be a functional lab - you just need to look at the right ranges and run the complete panels.
For thyroid function, I want to see TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3, and both antibodies. But you can also look at things like your lipid panel, metabolic panel, fasting insulin, and A1C through a functional lens to get insight into your detox capability and liver function.
Which Hormone Labs Do You Need?
When it comes to running functional labs, I want to make sure I’m looking at the full picture of what’s going on inside your body. These are some of the main tests I run for my clients that can finally give you the answers you've been looking for.
Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis
This is my foundational test for all clients because minerals are literally the spark plugs to your body. This test helps you understand adrenal health, blood sugar, and thyroid function at the cellular level.
Here's a real example: Let's say your thyroid hormone labs look completely optimal, but your body temperature is consistently low, you have cold hands and feet, and you're dealing with hair loss. When we look at your minerals, we might see that your potassium levels are off. Potassium actually sensitizes your cells to thyroid hormone, so even though your thyroid is producing enough hormone, your cells can't use it properly.
This is also why stress plays such a huge role in thyroid issues. Potassium is your stress mineral, so the more stressed you are, the more depleted you become in potassium. And potassium is needed for magnesium utilization, which is another mineral your thyroid requires.
It's all connected!
DUTCH Test
I love the DUTCH test because it doesn't just look at hormone levels - it shows you the pathways. You can see how you detox estrogen, how much cortisol you're making, your DHEA levels, and testosterone production all in one comprehensive view.
This is especially useful for understanding cortisol patterns. You might have "normal" cortisol levels but still feel exhausted all the time. When I look at both cortisol and DHEA together, I can see if you've been in an acute stress state where your body was producing tons of cortisol, but now it's saying "stop, this is dangerous" and pulling back cortisol production. You're still dealing with the same stress, but your body isn't producing the cortisol to handle it anymore.
GI-MAP Test
Your gut health directly impacts your hormone labs because that's where a lot of hormone metabolism happens. The GI-MAP can show something called beta-glucuronidase, which is an enzyme in your gut. When it's too high, it actually unbinds toxins that your body is trying to eliminate, causing estrogen to recirculate instead of being eliminated.
This is often what's happening when someone feels like they're doing "all the detox things" but not seeing results. The test also checks for H. pylori, a bacteria that lowers stomach acid. Without optimal stomach acid, you can't digest food properly or absorb the nutrients you need for hormone production.
Organic Acids Test (OAT)
This bonus test can show markers for fungal overgrowth, which impacts how you process oxalates and can be related to mold exposure. It also gives insight into your methylation status and how well you're detoxing. I typically recommend this one when I see specific signs on other tests or in someone's lifestyle that suggest these might be issues.
What to Look for When Running Labs
If you're working with someone who only does basic blood work, you're missing huge pieces of the puzzle.
You need someone who:
Looks at hormone labs through functional ranges, not just conventional "normal" ranges
Understands how to read multiple tests together to create a complete picture
Starts with foundational testing before throwing every expensive test at you
Can connect your lab results to your actual symptoms in a way that makes sense
I don't start every client with $2,000 worth of hormone labs right off the bat. I begin with an HTMA because it gives the most bang for your buck and can guide what other testing might be needed. Sometimes I see markers that tell me we need to run additional tests immediately, but often we can start with minerals and see amazing improvements before needing to dig deeper.
Getting Hormone Labs That Actually Help
The key is working with someone who looks at your hormone labs through the right lens. I've had clients come to me with HTMA results that other practitioners had analyzed, but when I looked at them from a hormone-focused perspective, we found completely different insights.
For example, I had a client with Hashimoto's who had high tissue calcium levels. Previous practitioners had given her generic protocols, but when I connected her high calcium (a numbing mineral) to her health history and current symptoms, everything clicked for her. She finally felt seen and understood, and we could create a targeted approach that actually worked to resolve her symptoms.
Your hormone labs should tell a story that makes complete sense with your symptoms. When the pieces fit together properly, you'll be motivated to implement the protocol because you finally understand what's happening in your body.
If your hormone labs have come back "normal" but you're still struggling with symptoms, you're not crazy. You're just not running the right tests or looking at them through the right lens. Your body is giving you signals for a reason, and the right labs can finally give you the answers you need to feel amazing again.
Ready to finally get hormone labs that give you real answers? This is exactly what I do in the Hormone Reset Program®, my comprehensive six-month program where we walk you through the complete transformation of balancing your hormones naturally. Instead of throwing every expensive test at you from day one, we start with foundational labs like Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis and let your results guide us to exactly what your body needs.
You'll get personalized lab analysis, custom protocols based on your unique results, and step-by-step support so you finally understand what's happening in your body and how to fix it. No more generic advice or confusing lab reports that don't match your symptoms.
Stop settling for "normal" labs when you know something isn't right. Your body deserves better, and so do you!
Book your free call with one of my past clients who went through this exact transformation. She'll help you see if the Hormone Reset Program® is the right fit for you and answer any questions you have about getting started.