Today, few people have enough time to carefully monitor their health. And this is not good. It is advisable to go to a qualified specialist for a routine check of your own condition at least every six months. Not all people know about whether it is possible to eat before a general blood test. This question is very important, because, having received incorrect results, the doctor will not be able to accurately determine the disease and choose the appropriate treatment program. Let's try to understand this issue in more detail, and also talk about how to prepare your body so that the results are reliable.
general information
This type of laboratory study has the most informative value for many doctors. It is he who is prescribed to the patient primarily when going to the hospital. This clinical analysis has been performed for a long time and is very time-consuming, but it provides an opportunity for doctors to get a similar picture about the health status of their patients.
So is it possible to eat before a general blood test and why? The answer is no - no! The thing is that in order to obtain the correct decoding of the analysis results, it is necessary that blood with a natural chemical composition be taken. And if you eat any food, then it will be violated, which, in turn, will affect the results.
What information does a blood test provide?
If you do not know whether it is possible to have breakfast before a general blood test, then it is best to consult a doctor about this first.
This type of laboratory research allows doctors to:
- Correctly assess the patient’s health status.
- Correctly identify the disease.
- Identify the presence of a disease proceeding secretly.
- Monitor treatment and make necessary adjustments to therapy.
The results of the analysis allow us to establish whether the indicators correspond to the norm or how much they deviate from it. If deviations are detected and any indicators are underestimated or overestimated, this is evidence of the presence of any disease.
Can I eat before a general blood test? The answer to this question should be clear to everyone, because when using any kind of food, various substances and macronutrients enter the bloodstream, as a result of which their quantity increases, and the indicators deviate from the norm. In addition, after eating, the number of leukocytes increases. This is quite normal, but the doctor may regard this as the presence of a disease.
Why is it critical to give up food before analysis?
So we came to the answer to the question of whether it is possible to eat before a general blood test. All doctors immediately warn their patients that it is impossible. This is an important nuance, because only in this way the results will be accurate, and the doctor will be able to get a real picture of the patient’s health status. In addition, before the analysis, it is not recommended to have dinner too late, as this can also negatively affect the results. After eating, at least 8 hours should pass.
General tips and tricks
If you must give blood for tests, then a few days before going to the hospital, you must:
- refuse fatty, spicy and fried foods;
- do not eat sweets;
- drink only plain water;
- do not drink alcohol;
- Do not steam in a bath or sauna;
- try not to take any medications or notify your doctor about their intake.
Many people are also interested in the question of whether it is possible to smoke before a general blood test. If you are a heavy smoker, then in the morning it is not recommended to smoke, since harmful tar, acid and nicotine can affect the reliability of the tests.
How to behave on the day of going to the hospital?
On the day of delivery, it is better not to have breakfast at all and not to drink juice or compote. Only non-carbonated water is allowed. It will not only quench your thirst, but also increase blood flow. Can I drink tea or coffee before a general blood test? The answer is no! Any drinks should be discarded.
Violation of the following rules is also prohibited:
- if you are on a diet, then shortly before going to the hospital you need to abandon it;
- at least a day before the analysis is forbidden to undergo x-ray examination;
- before analysis, it is necessary to cancel any physiotherapeutic procedures.
It is worth noting that the rules for preparing the body for blood donation may be different. It all depends on what the doctor is interested in. Therefore, it is recommended that you consult with your doctor first. In some cases, breakfast may be required, for example, if you need to determine the level of insulin in the blood.
Can I feed my children before donating blood for laboratory tests?
Each parent is interested in the question of whether the child can eat before a general blood test. Children should be prepared for analysis as well as adults. Therefore, if your child is ill and the doctor needs laboratory blood tests to correctly identify the disease, then you should not feed him at least 8 hours before them. Some doctors argue that it is better not to eat at least 12 hours before the intended visit to the hospital for blood donation.
What is allowed to eat?
People suffering from certain diseases should eat much more often than an ordinary and completely healthy person. For example, if a patient has problems with the pancreas or endocrine system, then a person should eat often, but in small portions. Therefore, without eating, they simply can not. Eating light foods is allowed. It can be a small portion of porridge cooked on water, without using any seasonings. You can also eat a cheese sandwich, crackers or fresh vegetables.
Meat, fish, sausages and canned foods are strictly prohibited. This also applies to any goodies and marinades.
Preparation of the body for analysis
So, we figured out whether it is possible to eat before a general blood test. Let's talk now about preparing for the analyzes. There are no strict rules here, but for everything to go as it should, it is advisable to adhere to some tips.
Most often, blood sampling for analysis is carried out early in the morning. In the hospital, a small incision is made on the finger with a scarifier and a few drops of blood are taken. If the finger is damaged, then in this case, blood is drawn from the earlobe. In young children, blood can be drawn from a toe or heel. In some cases, for general analysis, blood can be taken from a vein.
A few days before the analysis, alcohol should be completely abandoned, since it contributes to a violation of the normal composition of the blood, as a result of which the results will be incorrect. This also applies to the diet. It is best to eat “light” foods, steamed or boiled. In this case, you should refuse to use salt, sugar and any spices in the cooking process.
If you play sports and visit the gym, then shortly before going to the hospital, you must stop training to donate blood for laboratory tests. This also applies to work requiring heavy physical exertion. If possible, it is best to postpone it.
Finally
You need to take your health very seriously. If you get sick, then you need to go to the hospital to a specialist in order to undergo therapy. But in order for the doctor to identify the disease and choose an effective treatment program, he needs to have an idea of the chemical composition of the blood, namely, the compliance of all indicators with the norm. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for analysis in all seriousness.
If you don’t know whether you can have breakfast before going to the hospital to donate blood for laboratory tests or not, then consult a doctor on this issue and he will tell you in detail about everything. In this case, your health status will be determined correctly.