Are Blood Tests Useful?
- 23 hours ago
- 3 min read
The short answer is yes, but not in the way most people think. Blood tests are very useful for tracking how your body responds to care over time. They are much less useful when doctors treat the lab’s “normal range” as a one-size-fits-all stamp of health.
Why Lab “Normal” Ranges Are Not Always Helpful
Lab companies set “normal” ranges based on the middle 95% of people who get tested. That sounds scientific, but it includes many people who are not truly healthy. The ranges are wide, population-based, and do not tell you what is optimal for you as an individual.
A number that falls inside the lab’s reference range is often called “normal,” yet you can still feel tired, foggy, achy, or run-down. This is especially true for nutrients like vitamin B12.
Vitamin B12: A Perfect Example
The standard lab range for B12 is usually 200–900 pg/mL (sometimes up to 1,100 pg/mL). This is an absurdly large "normal range".
Only when the B12 reads below 200 pg/mL is it labeled “deficient.”
In real life, many people with B12 levels between 200 and 600 pg/mL still have classic deficiency symptoms: fatigue, brain fog, numbness/tingling, poor memory, mood changes, or balance issues.
In our office, about 80% of patients who try a short course of natural B12 (methyl- or hydroxocobalamin) feel noticeably better (more energy, clearer thinking, better sleep) even when their blood level was “normal.” This shows the lab range is too broad for many people.
Blood Tests Are Excellent for Tracking Progress
Here is where blood tests shine: they let us see trends and measure improvement.
We can check your B12 level before care.
After a few weeks or months of the right form and dose, we re-test.
When the level rises and symptoms improve, we know the treatment is working.
Seeing the number move in the right direction gives clear feedback and helps us fine-tune the plan. The same principle applies to vitamin D, iron, thyroid panels, inflammatory markers, and hormone levels. The test becomes a progress report, not a final verdict.
Why So Many People Have “Normal” Labs but Still Feel Bad
Modern life stresses the body: processed food, high stress, poor sleep, and gut issues all increase nutrient needs. The lab ranges were never designed to catch these subtle shortfalls. They were created to flag severe disease, not to guide optimal wellness.
A “normal” B12 level on paper does not mean your cells have enough B12 to run at full speed. That is why symptoms and how you respond to treatment matter more than a single number.
How We Use Blood Tests at Our Clinic
We order labs when they will give useful information. We look at:
The actual number (not just “normal” or “high/low”)
Trends over time
How the number matches your symptoms and response to care
If your B12 is 350 pg/mL and you feel exhausted, we do not say “you’re normal.” We consider a therapeutic trial of high-quality B12 and re-check in 6–8 weeks. If energy improves and the level rises, we have confirmation that the treatment was right for you.
Summary
Blood tests are valuable tools when used the right way. They are excellent for tracking progress during care and for ruling out serious problems. They are not very good at telling you whether a number is optimal for your individual health.
At Jones Chiropractic & Functional Medicine we combine lab results, your symptoms, and how you respond to treatment to create a personalized plan. If you have been told “your labs are normal” but you still feel off, a functional approach may reveal what the standard ranges are missing.
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