According to studies, laboratory tests are 60-80% useful in establishing a diagnosis.Of course, this is not the only thing that influences the diagnosis.To do this, it is necessary to compare the patient's complete medical history and the symptoms that accompany it, but without tests the diagnosis is almost impossible, as they allow you to see the complete picture.Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that nothing interferes with the test result, as this will interfere with an accurate diagnosis.
Alcohol is one of the factors that can make diagnosis difficult and seriously affect test results.Below we describe in more detail the reasons why its use is not strictly recommended before such medical procedures.
The effect of alcohol on blood tests
It is scientifically proven that ethyl acts on the human body as a potent poison.When consuming even a small amount of an adult beverage, the immune system is activated, attacking the harmful substance and trying to neutralize it.Protective reactions are activated that aim to quickly eliminate toxins and combat harmful effects.Under the influence of decay products, the chemical and qualitative composition of blood, seminal fluid and urine changes.The immune system is weakened, as blood cells are destroyed, their membranes are destroyed and the blood clots, forming blood clots.The kidneys and liver begin to work harder.Its cells are destroyed, lipid-fat metabolism is disrupted and severe intoxication occurs.The poison is not removed from the body quickly.Depending on the metabolic rate, this process lasts from two to three to seven days.
It is clear that these processes significantly affect blood, urine and sperm tests.They do not allow you to see the real picture of what is happening in the body without the influence of ethanol.In addition, the decomposition products of ethyl alcohol can react with substances used in laboratory research.This also makes it difficult to accurately determine the presence of diseases and confuses medical professionals.
Once in the stomach, the alcohol poison is first absorbed into the blood and causes changes that last for several days.As a result, blood cell membranes are damaged, blood clots form, hemoglobin and sugar levels decrease, and cholesterol increases.All of this increases the likelihood of incorrect diagnoses.The doctor may not recognize serious illnesses such as diabetes and anemia, and may not detect the inflammatory process in time.
In addition, alcohol has an extremely negative effect on the biochemical composition of the blood, distorting the concentration of micro- and macroelements, minerals and metals.The concentration of lactic and uric acids increases, which also affects the results of biochemical analyzes.Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are eliminated.When sampling from a vein, this is even more important to accurately represent the patient's condition.
Drinks containing alcohol also alter hormone levels, increasing stress hormones as ethanol affects the functioning of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland.These glands are responsible for producing important hormones.Deviations from normal levels of these hormones may indicate serious illnesses that require timely treatment.
Due to decreased immunity, a false positive result for viral infections such as hepatitis and HIV is possible.Therefore, if the recommendations are not followed, it is better to notify the doctor about this and reschedule the procedure for another day.
Interestingly, different types of strong drinks have different effects on the body.For example, dark beer increases hemoglobin due to its high iron content.This means that the doctor will not be able to determine the presence of anemia, if any.
Thus, the doctor is able to miss the presence of serious diseases such as malignant neoplasms, diabetes, hepatitis and HIV infections, and so on.For this reason, it is not recommended to drink strong drinks two or three days before the test.
Among other things, during a hangover the person becomes very weak and dehydrated and therefore may feel worse after the procedure, lose consciousness and experience nausea and vomiting.
The effect of alcohol on urine analysis
Alcohol and its degradation products remain in urine much longer than in blood.The time that alcohol remains in the urine depends on individual characteristics, including metabolism.However, it's better to play it safe and not drink for five to seven days before the test than to get incorrect results.
During alcohol intoxication, the concentration of uric and lactic acids increases, which significantly distorts the results.Glucose readings will also not match reality.Glucose is formed in the liver, which is known to be the first to be injured.
The kidneys, whose task is cleansing, will work hard to fulfill their task.They will actively get rid of the breakdown products of alcohol poison, which will lead to its high concentration in urine.However, you should not try to speed up the process of removing toxins from urine using diuretics.This will really help speed up cleansing, but it will lead to more severe dehydration, additional stress on the kidneys and increased urine concentration, and it will still not be possible to completely remove harmful substances.
The effect of alcohol on spermogram
Semen is a highly volatile fluid that is easily affected by toxins found in recreational drinks.The main indication of the spermogram is infertility.As alcohol greatly affects the fertilization capacity of the seed, consuming this product is highly undesirable before this procedure.
Due to exposure to ethanol in seminal fluid, the number of viable sperm is reduced, their motility decreases, the number of sperm decreases and the number of defective cells increases.This leads to a deterioration in sperm count, so it is not recommended to drink it before seven days.
Even drinks with a low alcohol content have an effect, as even a small ethanol content worsens the condition of sperm.Beer is especially harmful to men's health.Despite the low percentage of alcohol, this drink is dangerous because it contains phytoestrogens.This substance is a plant analogue of the female hormone, an excess of which negatively affects male reproductive cells.
If a defective sperm fertilizes an egg, fetal pathologies, miscarriages and mutations are possible.Therefore, ethyl harms not only the indicators, but also prevents the conception of a healthy child.You should avoid it when planning a pregnancy to avoid such consequences.
What might the test results be if you don't follow the recommendations?
Drinking even a small dose of ethyl alcohol before collecting samples for laboratory testing greatly distorts the results.As stated above, this leads to misdiagnosis.A specialist may not notice serious illnesses and may not prescribe the necessary treatment in a timely manner.It is also likely that the wrong treatment will be prescribed, which will lead to a worsening of the condition.Delayed treatment of some diseases sometimes leads to irreversible consequences and a condition in which the treatment will no longer be effective.
It is possible for the doctor to make a false diagnosis of a viral or infectious disease due to reduced immunity and prescribe unnecessary treatment, only harming the patient.Drinking alcohol before surgery is especially dangerous, as it is not known how an intoxicated person will react to the intervention itself, to anesthesia.Furthermore, doctors run the risk of making mistakes during surgery, relying on incorrect data obtained while the patient is hungover.These mistakes can have dire consequences.
How to prepare for the test
Most blood tests are performed in the morning, after fasting for eight to twelve hours.Alcohol and tests: influence on results.hours.During this period, you can only drink water.You must abstain from alcohol for two to three days.Smoking is prohibited one hour before the test.It is also necessary to exclude possible hormonal surges due to stress or excessive exertion and not to take medications.
Before undergoing hormone testing, it is extremely important to abstain from food for eight to twelve hours and eliminate fatty, sweet, carbonated and alcohol-containing drinks from your diet for several days before the procedure.Physical activity, chewing gum, caffeine and tobacco products are prohibited on this day.It is recommended to avoid stress and emotional overload.You can take it no earlier than five days after the x-ray and ultrasound.When determining your sugar level, brushing your teeth is also prohibited.
Before donating urine, it is not recommended to eat foods with different colors or drink diuretics.Immediately before collection, genital hygiene must be carried out.It is best for women not to get tested during their period.The first portion of urine collected is the first urination upon waking.
A week before the spermogram, you must give up alcohol.It is recommended to abstain from ejaculating and smoking for three days.This will allow you to determine the quantity and quality of sperm in the seminal fluid as accurately as possible.