Fasting before giving a blood test is very essential to get accurate reading. If you consume food and take a blood test, then the body starts digesting your food and the digested particles may flow in your blood. If blood test is taken in such a condition, the results of the test may be misleading. Blood test may examine blood and sugar levels, if such components are present in the blood then the physician may not get the exact picture of the body’s functioning. Therefore, fasting beforehand helps the physician to get a clear idea and to diagnose your condition accurately.
How Long Should You Fast?
The time period for fasting, normally varies from individual to individual. The precise time period can always be prescribed by the physician himself. However, the standard time for fasting is considered to be 12 hours before the actual blood test is taken. Ideally, try scheduling your blood test in the morning so that you would have to fast overnight, which makes it easy for you, as in the night we only sleep.
Fast for eight hours before a glucose test. These tests are typically conducted in the morning when your body is still in relaxing mode so that the readings can be accurate.
You must fast for at least 12 hours before your cholesterol test, to get the exact reading of your triglycerides.
There are two main tests that are affected by fasting. They are blood sugar and lipids. On a daily basis, your body undergoes hour to hour changes in your blood sugar and lipid levels, depending on the food and liquids you consume. By fasting, we get a baseline sugar and lipid level, which are not influenced by the food consumed.
