When “Normal” Labs Don’t Mean You’re Healthy

If you’ve ever walked out of a doctor’s office thinking, “But my labs are normal… so why do I still feel awful?”—you’re not alone. We see patients every day who are tired, anxious, bloated, foggy, or struggling with hormones, only to be told their tests look fine. It’s frustrating, confusing, and honestly—defeating. At The Healing Center Denver, we believe labs are important tools. But they are not the beginning or the end of your health story. Why Normal Labs Can Still Leave You Feeling Sick Traditional labs are designed to catch disease, not dysfunction. That means you could be years away from a diagnosable condition, but already feeling the effects of imbalance. Here’s the problem: Your thyroid labs can come back “in range,” yet you’re still exhausted and gaining weight. Your hormone panel might look fine, but you’re struggling with anxiety, PMS, or hot flashes. Your gut markers may not flag anything “serious,” but you’re bloated after every meal. This is where advanced functional testing—and whole-person care—makes the difference. The Labs Our Functional Medicine Doctors Use (and Why They’re Different) When labs are needed, we go deeper than the basics. Some of our go-to tools include: DUTCH test → A detailed look at hormones, cortisol patterns, and adrenal function. BiomeFx microbiome test → Not just “good” vs. “bad” bacteria, but the full ecosystem of your gut. Genetic testing → Insight into your predispositions—then we work with your environment and lifestyle to influence how those genes express. Comprehensive labs → A wider range of nutrient, thyroid, inflammation, and immune markers than standard panels. These labs often reveal what traditional testing misses....