What Do You Need to Know About Fasting before A Blood Test?
What did the doctor tell you the last time you went to his clinic? Did he ask you to get a blood test done for a better analysis of your internal health? If yes, then you will have to keep a fast until you submit your blood sample. Many people are confused and do not know the reason behind keeping this fast before a blood test. However, not all blood tests require you to keep a fast before it.
Whether you need to keep a fast or not will be determined by the kind of blood test the doctor has asked you to undergo. If the doctor asks you to fast before a blood test, he will tell you to consume only water and nothing else. Do these make you more curious about blood tests? If so, then you have come to the right place. Many of you are not aware of fasting before the blood test. So, we have come up with this blog.
Before you look for private blood testing near me, reading this blog till the end will help you immensely. In this blog, we have covered the time for which you should fast before a blood test and if some beverages can be consumed before the blood test. Therefore, without further delay, let’s get started with the blog.
How to prepare for a blood test?
As we have already mentioned earlier, not all blood tests ask you to fast. For the ones in which you need to keep a fast, the doctor will advise you to consume water or anything else till the test sample is collected. The primary reason for fasting before the blood test is to ensure that your test results are accurate. Eating anything before the test can disrupt the accuracy of the test.
Consuming carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins can hamper the blood-level readings, thereby clouding the blood test report. The list of blood tests that will require you to fast before a blood test:
High-density lipoprotein level test
Low-density lipoprotein level test
If your doctor has already asked you to undergo a blood test but has not mentioned if you need to fast before the blood test, clarify this before leaving his chamber. However, when the doctor asks you to do a faecal occult blood test, you will not have to fast. However, for a faecal occult blood test, you will have to limit the intake of certain foods about which, your doctor can guide you. Therefore, whenever you are going for a blood test, always follow the advice of your doctor.
How long should you fast before a blood test?
The amount of time for which you need to fast depends on the kind of blood test that the doctor has asked you to do. Generally, you have to fast for 12 hours before a blood test. So, if you are going to the pathology lab early in the morning for a blood test, make sure to dine at least 10 to 11 hours before. So, if you go for the blood test at 8 am in the morning, make sure to have your dinner by 9 pm last night.
Can you have coffee or tea before the blood test?
Many people have a habit of drinking coffee or tea right in the morning. So, people who have to go for a blood test ask the doctor whether they can have tea or coffee right before going to the lab to submit the blood sample. To the question, the doctor always tells no. This is because the presence of caffeine in coffee interferes with the blood test results.
Secondly, coffee is considered a diuretic component. This means that drinking coffee forces you to pee more often. As a result, it can have a dehydrating effect. So, the more coffee you consume, the more dehydrated you become both internally and externally. When your body is extremely dehydrated, it becomes difficult for the nurse or the medical professional to find the vein in your arm. As a result, this makes the whole process of blood sample collection more difficult.
Can you drink alcohol before a blood test?
Whether you can drink alcohol the day before your blood will depend on the type of blood test that you are undergoing. The reports of the blood tests that assess the condition of the liver or the triglyceride levels can tamper as they intrude with the blood tests. When traces of alcohol are found in your bloodstream, know that you will never get accurate blood test results.
Fasting for a blood test during pregnancy
When you are pregnant, you have to undergo several blood tests. The purpose of these blood tests is mainly to find out the condition of both the expecting mother and the baby growing inside the womb. In the case of some of the tests, you will have to fast. However, if you do not want to experience any complicacies, it is better to fast before a blood test even when you are pregnant.
To retain the overall comfort of your body, the doctor might ask you to drink some more water than your usual range. Also, if the weather is humid, make sure to drink enough water. The more hydrated you stay, the easier will it be for the medical practitioner to find your vein and draw the blood sample.
When it comes to the health condition of pregnant women, sometimes, fasting can allow them to experience heartburn. In case you are facing similar heartburn or indigestion issues, you need to inform the respective doctor immediately. After all, you do not want to experience any kind of complications regarding your pregnancy. Also, if you are a pregnant woman, make sure to carry your water bottle everywhere you go.
Therefore, by now, you have already formed an idea about fasting before the blood test. When it comes to assessing a health issue from a blood test, it is better to do it from a reputed place. We suggest consulting with the best private GP London clinic as they provide the most accurate test reports that can help in the later part of the treatment.Â