According to studies, laboratory tests are 60-80% helpful in establishing a diagnosis.Of course, this is not the only thing that affects the diagnosis.For this, it is necessary to compare the patient's entire medical history and the accompanying symptoms, but without tests, diagnosis is almost impossible, since they allow viewing the entire picture.Therefore, it is extremely important to make sure that nothing interferes with the test results, as this interferes with an accurate diagnosis.
Alcohol is one of the factors that can make diagnosis difficult and seriously affect test results.The reasons why it is strictly not recommended to use it before such medical procedures are explained in more detail below.
Effects of alcohol on blood tests
It has been scientifically proven that ethyl acts as a strong poison on the human body.When drinking even a small amount of adult drink, the immune system is activated, attacks the harmful substance and tries to neutralize it.Protective reactions are activated, which aim to quickly remove toxins and combat harmful effects.The chemical composition and quality of blood, seminal fluid and urine change as a result of the decomposition products.The immune system is weakened as blood cells die, their membranes are destroyed, and the blood coagulates, forming blood clots.The kidneys and liver start working harder.Their cells die, lipid-fat metabolism is disrupted, severe poisoning occurs.The poison does not leave the body quickly.Depending on the rate of metabolism, this process takes 2-3-7 days.
Of course, these processes significantly affect blood, urine and sperm tests.They do not allow you to see the true 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 that are used in laboratory research.This also makes it difficult to accurately determine the presence of diseases and confuses health workers.
Once in the stomach, the alcohol poison is first absorbed into the blood and causes changes in it that last for several days.As a result, the membrane of blood cells is damaged, blood clots form, hemoglobin and sugar levels decrease, and cholesterol levels rise.All of this increases the likelihood of incorrect diagnoses.It is possible that the doctor does not recognize such serious diseases as diabetes and anemia and does 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 macro-elements, minerals and metals.The concentration of lactic acid and uric acid increases, which also worsens the results of the biochemical analysis.Calcium, magnesium and phosphorus are washed out.When sampling from a vein, this is even more important for an accurate representation of the patient's condition.
Alcoholic beverages also alter hormone levels, increasing stress hormones, as ethanol affects adrenal and thyroid function.These glands are responsible for producing important hormones.Deviations from the normal level of these hormones can indicate serious diseases that require timely treatment.
Due to reduced 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 warn 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 cannot determine the presence of anemia, if any.
Thus, the doctor is able to ignore the presence of serious diseases such as malignant tumors, diabetes, hepatitis and HIV infections, etc.For this reason, it is not recommended to drink strong drinks two or three days before the examination.
Among other things, during a hangover, a person is too weak and dehydrated, so after the procedure, he feels worse, may lose consciousness, and may cause nausea and vomiting.
Effect of alcohol on urinalysis
Alcohol and its breakdown products stay in the urine much longer than in the blood.How long alcohol stays in the urine depends on individual characteristics, including metabolism.However, it is better to take a risk and not drink 5-7 days before the test than to get false results.
During alcohol poisoning, the concentration of uric acid and lactic acid increases, which significantly distorts the results.Glucose values also do not correspond to reality.Glucose is formed in the liver, which is known to be the first to be damaged.
The kidneys, whose job it is to clean up, will work hard to do their job.They actively get rid of the decomposition products of alcohol poison, which leads to a high concentration in the urine.However, do not try to speed up the process of removing toxins from the urine with diuretics.This does help to speed up cleansing, but it leads to more severe dehydration, additional kidney strain and increased urine concentration, and it is still not possible to completely remove harmful substances.
The effect of alcohol on the spermogram
Semen is a highly volatile fluid that is easily affected by toxins found in recreational beverages.The main indication of the spermogram is infertility.Since alcohol greatly affects the fertilizing ability of the seed, consumption of this product before the procedure is highly undesirable.
As a result of exposure to ethanol in the seminal fluid, the number of viable sperm decreases, their motility decreases, the number of sperm decreases and the number of defective cells increases.This leads to a deterioration in the number of sperm, so it is not recommended to drink it for seven days beforehand.
Even low-alcohol drinks have an effect, since even a small ethanol content worsens the condition of sperm.Beer is especially harmful to men's health.Despite the low alcohol content, 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 the egg, fetal pathologies, miscarriages and mutations are possible.Therefore, ethyl not only damages the indicators, but also prevents the conception of a healthy child.It should be avoided during pregnancy planning to avoid such consequences.
What are the test results if you do not follow the recommendations?
Consuming even a small amount of ethyl alcohol before collecting samples for laboratory testing greatly distorts the results.As mentioned above, this leads to misdiagnosis.It is possible that the specialist does not notice serious diseases and does not prescribe the necessary treatment in time.It is also likely that inappropriate treatment is prescribed, which leads to a worsening of the condition.Premature treatment of some diseases sometimes has irreversible consequences and leads to a state where the treatment will no longer be effective.
It is possible that the doctor makes a false diagnosis of a viral or infectious disease due to reduced immunity and prescribes unnecessary treatment, thereby only harming the patient.Drinking alcohol before surgery is particularly dangerous, as it is not known how the drunk person will react to the intervention and the anesthesia itself.In addition, doctors risk making mistakes during surgery if they rely on incorrect data obtained while the patient is hungover.Such mistakes can have serious consequences.
How to prepare for the test
Most blood tests are performed between eight and twelve in the morning on an empty stomach. Alcohol and tests: influencing the results. hour.Only water can be drunk during this time.You should refrain from drinking alcohol for two to three days.Smoking is prohibited one hour before the examination.Possible hormone surges due to stress or overload must also be ruled out, and medications must not be taken.
Before the hormone test, it is extremely important to refrain from eating for eight to twelve hours and to avoid fatty, sweet, carbonated and alcoholic drinks from your diet a few days before the procedure.On this day, physical activity, chewing gum, caffeine and tobacco consumption are prohibited.Avoiding stress and emotional overload is recommended.You can take it no earlier than five days after the X-ray and ultrasound.Brushing your teeth is also prohibited when determining your sugar level.
Before donating urine, it is not recommended to eat other colored foods or drink diuretics.Genital hygiene should be performed immediately before collection.It is better for women not to be tested during menstruation.The first urine collected is the first urination after waking up.
You should stop drinking alcohol one week before the spermogram.It is recommended to abstain from ejaculation and smoking for three days.This allows you to determine the quantity and quality of sperm in the seminal fluid as accurately as possible.