
This may be the only time in your life your doctor may tell you not to exercise. Don’t Exercise For Accurate Blood Test Results Water will also help keep your blood pressure from dropping.Īsk your doctor what you’re allowed to drink before your test. Water plumps the veins up, making it easier for the technician to find them, and, as a result, making for a smoother blood draw. “Blood is roughly 50 percent water, and the water you drink hydrates your veins,” he says. Water can actually help with the blood test Dr. Some tests will require you to eat nothing at all, but in most cases, you will be allowed to drink water. You must give it eight to 12 hours to digest.” Water Does Not Impact Blood Test Results “The results could be affected because the food may not be fully absorbed by your body.

“Fasting ensures your blood test results will not be influenced by foods you eat in the hours before your blood is drawn,” Dr. Krajcik says.īlood tests that you will likely need to fast for include: Fasting improves the accuracy of those tests, Dr. This could impact factors measured by certain tests. Nutrients and ingredients in the food and beverages you eat and drink are absorbed into your bloodstream. There is good reason your doctor recommends not eating or drinking: to attain the most accurate blood test results. Most people are familiar with having to fast before a blood test. Krajcik recommends that you should do, or avoid, to get the most accurate blood test results. But there are some things that you can do just before the test that can affect the outcome, says Robert Krajcik, MD, a family medicine specialist with UH Ohio Medical Group. Check whether medicines you're taking are workingīlood tests are very common and have minimal risk.Find out whether you have risk factors for heart disease.Diagnose diseases and conditions such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, anemia and coronary heart disease.Evaluate how well your organs are working.Specifically, blood tests can help doctors: They also help check the function of your organs and show how well treatments are working. The National Institutes of Health remind us that blood tests help doctors check for certain diseases and conditions.

It works somewhat like a crystal ball, but what you do in the hours before could have a negative effect on your blood test results.

There’s a lot your doctor can tell about your health from that little vial of blood. A blood test may not be the most pleasant experience in the world, but it is an important part of your overall health plan.
