You got your blood tests back. Your GP said everything looks fine. But you're still exhausted, gaining weight, losing hair, or feeling like something is off.
Sound familiar? You're not imagining it.
"Normal" doesn't always mean optimal
Standard pathology ranges are wide. They're designed to flag disease — not to tell you whether your body is functioning at its best.
For example, the standard TSH reference range in Australia is roughly 0.5–4.0 mIU/L. A result of 3.8 is technically "normal" and won't be flagged. But functionally, that's a sluggish thyroid — and it could explain why you're tired, cold, constipated, and struggling to lose weight.
The same applies to iron, B12, vitamin D, fasting insulin, and inflammatory markers. A result that sits within the reference range but at the low or high end can still be driving symptoms.
What functional interpretation looks like
A functional approach looks at where your markers sit within the range, not just whether they're in or out.
Here's what I typically review:
Full thyroid panel — TSH, free T4, free T3, and thyroid antibodies. Most GPs only run TSH. If your T4-to-T3 conversion is poor (common in chronic dieters and women in perimenopause), TSH alone won't show it.
Iron studies — not just haemoglobin but ferritin, transferrin saturation, and serum iron. Low ferritin is one of the most common causes of fatigue in women and is frequently missed when haemoglobin is "normal."
B12 and folate — essential for energy, mood, and neurological function. Symptoms can appear well before levels drop into the deficient range.
Vitamin D — affects immune function, bone health, mood, and muscle recovery. Optimal is around 100–150 nmol/L; many Australians sit at 50–70 and are told that's fine.
Fasting insulin and glucose — early markers of insulin resistance, which standard fasting glucose alone won't catch until it's more advanced.
CRP and homocysteine — markers of systemic inflammation that can indicate underlying issues driving weight gain, fatigue, or poor recovery.
What a nutritionist can and can't do with your blood work
I interpret your results from a nutritional and functional perspective. I'm not diagnosing medical conditions — that's your GP's role. What I'm looking for is patterns that explain your symptoms and inform your nutrition plan.
If something in your blood work needs medical attention, I'll flag it and suggest you discuss it with your GP. I work alongside doctors, not instead of them.
What I can do is connect the dots between your blood markers, your symptoms, your nutrition, and your lifestyle in a way that a 10-minute GP appointment often doesn't have time for.
What to ask your GP for
If you're planning to see a nutritionist and want to come prepared, ask your GP for:
Full blood count (FBC)
Iron studies (ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum iron)
Thyroid panel (TSH, free T4, free T3)
B12 and folate
Vitamin D
Fasting insulin and fasting glucose
CRP
Liver function tests (LFTs)
Most of these are covered under Medicare with a standard referral. Bring the results to your first consultation and we'll go through them together.
Want a second set of eyes on your results?
I review blood work as part of every initial consultation. If your numbers don't match how you feel, that's exactly where I start.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call →
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.