We sat down with board-certified family medicine physician Dr. Barbara Joy Jones during the Power of Us panel at PGSFEST2025 to uncover the real reasons so many women feel off—even when their lab results look “normal.”

If you’ve ever left your doctor’s office being told that everything looks fine but you still feel exhausted, moody, or just not yourself, you’re not imagining things. According to Dr. Barbara Joy Jones, a Georgia-based family medicine physician known as The Model Doc, the standard blood panel often misses critical clues about your health.

In our exclusive interview, Dr. Jones breaks down four overlooked lab levels that can impact everything from mood and energy to sleep and focus. From Vitamin D deficiencies to low iron storage, she’s sharing the insider knowledge every woman should know before her next appointment.

“Perimenopause is inevitable,” says Dr. Jones. “But suffering doesn’t have to be.”

Key Takeaways from Dr. Barbara Joy Jones:

Key Takeaways from Dr. Barbara Joy Jones

1. Vitamin D — Goal level: 60
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in mood regulation, bone strength, immune function, and energy. Dr. Jones recommends taking Vitamin D3 (5000 IU) with Vitamin K2 (50 mcg) daily and always with food for optimal absorption.

2. Ferritin — Goal level: above 75
Ferritin measures your iron storage, and low levels are especially common among women who menstruate. When ferritin drops below 75, symptoms can include fatigue, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, cravings for ice (a condition known as pica), restless legs, brittle hair, mood swings, and brain fog. If your ferritin level is below 20, Dr. Jones advises asking your doctor for a referral to a hematologist for an IV iron infusion or discussing a prescription-grade iron supplement. She often prescribes Integra Iron to her patients, though your physician may recommend another option.

3. Magnesium — Goal level: 2.2–2.4
Magnesium affects sleep quality, bowel regularity, anxiety, heart rhythm, muscle cramps, and numbness in the limbs. Due to industrialized farming practices, most people are deficient.

Dr. Jones suggests using different forms of magnesium depending on your needs:

• Magnesium Citrate: for improved bowel movements
• Magnesium Glycinate or Taurate: for anxiety and better sleep
• Magnesium Threonate: for mental clarity and dementia prevention

4. B Vitamins — Vitamin B12 goal: above 1000 | Folate goal: above 10
Both B12 and folate impact mood, focus, and nerve health. Deficiencies can cause anxiety, sadness, tingling in the hands and feet, dizziness, and fatigue. Dr. Jones recommends taking methylcobalamin B12 (500 mcg) and methylfolate (1000 mcg) each morning to help maintain optimal levels.

Dr. Jones emphasizes that while these tests might not appear on your standard lab panel, they are essential for understanding your body’s full story—especially for women balancing busy lives, hormonal changes, and daily stress.

Your health isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither should your bloodwork be. If you still feel off despite being told your labs are “normal,” it may be time to dig deeper. Advocate for yourself, ask questions, and request these additional tests at your next visit. Because when it comes to your health, normal isn’t always optimal.

Watch the full interview above to learn how to start an informed conversation with your doctor and take charge of your wellness journey.