As a gastroenterologist, I see this pattern every week: patients with real symptoms, normal basic labs, and years of frustration. The problem isn’t that nothing is wrong. It’s that the right questions weren’t asked early enough. Here are science-backed blood tests that can uncover root contributors to chronic GI symptoms when used thoughtfully and in context: • CBC with indices Subtle anemia or macrocytosis can point toward malabsorption, chronic inflammation, or micronutrient deficiencies — not