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Labs are often normal when someone has an eating disorder.

Normal labs do not indicate that someone is not sick from their eating disorder.

Reassuring someone that their labs are normal and everything is fine can inadvertently cause harm.

“Your labs look fine” can be some of the most harmful words in eating disorder care.

People often find it surprising when I say that labs are often normal, even when someone is very sick with their eating disorder. That being said, bloodwork gets a lot of attention, and it’s easy to see why. It gives doctors something concrete to do, and they are objective. However, in eating disorder treatment, they are often misleading.

Over the years, patients and families have told me again and again that when they went to their doctor with concerns about an eating disorder, they were reassured. They were told, “Your labs look fine, and there is nothing to worry about.”........

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