Why is it okay for your amylase to be low, but not for it to be high?

Reference range: These ranges are set so that a few percent of healthies arbitrarily fall outside. A VERY low amylase might warn of a person who's lost their pancreas, but if this had happened, you'd know. Actually, labs are meaningless apart form patient histories and physical exams, and a high amylase is usually not a problem if you feel well.