Why, yes, I have to fast before the blood test?

The reason must be fasting before the blood test

The content in food and drink can affect the results of your blood test. Yes, when you eat and drink, the substances and ingredients in food are digested and absorbed into the blood vessels.

Usually, you need to fast before a blood test if you want to measure:

Sugar level
Mineral content, such as iron
Cholesterol levels and other types of fat
Enzymes, such as GGT (Gamma-glutamyl transferase)

After eating or drinking, these levels may increase, so that when you check the blood the results do not accurately describe your health condition. Therefore, the results of blood tests after meals cannot be used as an accurate reference.

Especially if you check your blood to control diabetes, anemia, cholesterol levels, and liver disease. This health check requires fasting first.

Tips on fasting before blood tests

If indeed you are advised to fast before the blood test, then there are a number of things you should pay attention to.

Drink water

Usually, plain water will not affect the results of certain blood tests. So, generally you can still drink water as usual even though you have to fast before checking your blood. This is done so that your fluid needs are still met.

There are indeed some blood tests that require you to fast from drinking as well. Therefore, clearly ask the doctor what to scan or limit during fasting before the blood test.

Fast duration

When you are asked to fast, you will think the duration is like fasting in the month of Ramadan. In fact, this goes back to the types of tests you will be doing.

So again, you should ask your doctor how long you should hold on to eating and drinking. If asked to fast for 12 hours, while you have a blood test tomorrow at 9 am, then you must stop eating and drinking from 9 pm.

Which, it is important to adjust the schedule of blood tests that you will do.