Overview

As a part of the physical exam for eating disorders, your healthcare provider will weigh you, check your blood pressure, and pulse. They may order certain tests to see whether your body is generally healthy. These may include blood or urine tests to check:

• Electrolyte levels. Electrolytes are minerals, such as potassium, calcium, and sodium. A severe imbalance of electrolytes can lead to seizures, an irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness, and other problems.
• Levels of iron, sugar, protein, and fat.
• The function of the kidneys, liver, and thyroid gland.
• Levels of certain hormones, such as luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in women and testosterone in men.
• Levels of vitamins and minerals in the body.
• A bone density test to help your doctor see how strong your bones are.

Your healthcare provider may also test whether you have difficulty digesting certain foods, such as lactose, which is found in milk and dairy products.