Wednesday, June 14, 2023, 09:45
The blood test is one of the most common and most useful health controls to detect abnormalities and diseases. There are many myths surrounding this type of test. When drawing blood, it is known that you have to go to the doctor on an empty stomach so that the results of the analysis are accurate. One of the recommendations that produces the most doubts is whether or not you can drink water before having some blood tests.
Yes you can drink water before taking a blood test
Although it is one of the most frequent tests, many doubt this matter and do not know if they can drink water or not before going to the doctor. The truth is that you can, in a moderate way, before going to have a blood test, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.
“You can drink water before performing a blood test. When we talk about fasting prior to performing an analysis, we are referring to avoiding the intake of food and drinks, except water,” explains María del Campo, a family doctor and vice-secretary of the Spanish Society of Family and Community Medicine (Semfyc).
Food and drink are absorbed into the bloodstream, which can affect the results of some types of blood tests. In younger children, fasting is different. In babies, it cannot be more than four hours.
Therefore, the best thing to do if you have doubts is to ask your doctor beforehand. From Eurofins Megalab, the health organization specializing in clinical analysis, they recommend knowing the guidelines to follow when taking blood tests.
Guidelines for taking a blood test
– In general, it is recommended not to eat food in the 8 hours prior to the extraction and that dinner the day before be light.
– Yes, you can drink water during the 8 hours of fasting, unless the doctor expressly prohibits it. Drinking water in moderation helps the veins to dilate and become more visible, and it is dehydration that makes extraction difficult.
– It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes that are not too tight and not to do physical exercise the day before, in addition to not consuming alcohol or tobacco.
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