According to studies, laboratory tests are 60-80% useful for making a diagnosis.Of course, this is not the only thing that affects the diagnosis.To do this, it is necessary to compare the patient's complete medical history and accompanying symptoms, but without tests, the diagnosis is almost impossible, since they allow to see the complete picture.Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that nothing interferes with the test results, as this will prevent 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 it is strictly not recommended to use it before such medical procedures.
The effect of alcohol on blood tests
It has been scientifically proven that ethyl acts on the human body as a strong poison.When consuming even a small amount of drink for adults, the immune system is activated, attacks the harmful substance and tries to neutralize it.Defense reactions are activated, aimed at rapid removal of toxins and combating harmful effects.Under the influence of decomposition products, the chemical and qualitative composition of blood, seminal fluid and urine changes.The immune system is weakened as the blood cells are destroyed, their membranes destroyed and the blood clots forming blood clots.The kidneys and liver begin to work harder.Their cells are destroyed, the metabolism of lipids and fats is disturbed, severe intoxication occurs.The poison is not quickly removed from the body.Depending on the rate of metabolism, this process lasts from two to three to seven days.
Of course, these processes significantly affect blood, urine and semen 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 breakdown products of ethyl alcohol can react with substances that are used in laboratory studies.This also makes it difficult to accurately determine the presence of diseases and confuses medical professionals.
Once in the stomach, the alcoholic poison is first absorbed into the blood and causes changes in it 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 this increases the likelihood of incorrect diagnoses.The doctor may not recognize such serious diseases 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, disrupting the concentration of micro- and macroelements, minerals and metals.The concentration of lactic and uric acid increases, which will also spoil the results of the biochemical analysis.Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus are washed away.When sampling from a vein, this is even more important to accurately depict the patient's condition.
Alcoholic beverages also alter hormone levels, increasing stress hormones because 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 prompt 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 it 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 can miss the presence of such serious diseases as malignant neoplasms, 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, and therefore can feel worse after the procedure, lose consciousness, feel nauseous and vomit.
The effect of alcohol on urinalysis
Alcohol and its breakdown products remain 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 play it safe and not drink for five to seven days before the test than to get false results.
During alcohol intoxication, the concentration of uric and lactic acid increases, which significantly distorts the results.Glucose readings will also not correspond to reality.Glucose is formed in the liver, which is known to be the first to be damaged.
The kidneys, whose task is purification, will work hard to fulfill their task.They will actively get rid of the breakdown products of the alcoholic poison, which will lead to their high concentration in the urine.However, you should not try to speed up the process of removing toxins from the urine with diuretics.This will indeed help to cleanse faster, but will lead to more severe dehydration, additional stress on the kidneys and increased concentration of urine, while still not being able to completely remove the harmful substances.
The effect of alcohol on the spermogram
Semen is a highly volatile fluid that is easily affected by the toxins contained in recreational beverages.The main indication for a spermogram is infertility.Since alcohol greatly affects the ability of seeds to fertilize, consumption of this product is highly undesirable before this procedure.
Due to exposure to ethanol in the seminal fluid, the number of viable spermatozoa decreases, their motility decreases, the number of spermatozoa 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 beforehand for seven days.
Even low-alcohol drinks have an effect, since even a small amount of ethanol worsens the condition of the 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, the excess of which negatively affects male reproductive cells.
If a defective sperm fertilizes an egg, then 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 while planning pregnancy to avoid such consequences.
What could be the test results if you do not follow the recommendations?
Drinking even a small dose of ethyl alcohol before taking samples for laboratory tests significantly distorts the results.As stated above, this leads to misdiagnosis.A specialist may not notice serious diseases and may not prescribe the necessary treatment in time.It is also likely that the wrong treatment will be prescribed, which will lead to a worsening of the condition.Untimely treatment of some diseases sometimes leads to irreversible consequences and to a condition where the treatment will no longer have an effect.
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, thereby only harming the patient.Drinking alcohol before surgery is especially dangerous, since it is not known how an intoxicated person will react to the intervention itself, to anesthesia.In addition, doctors risk making mistakes during surgery, relying on incorrect data obtained while the patient is hungover.Such mistakes can have dire consequences.
How to prepare for testing
Most blood tests are performed in the morning after fasting for eight to twelve Alcohol and Tests: Effect on Results.hours.During this time you can only drink water.You should abstain from alcohol for two to three days.Smoking is prohibited one hour before the test.It is also necessary to rule out possible hormonal surges due to stress or overexertion and not to take drugs.
Before undergoing hormone testing, it is extremely important to abstain from food for eight to twelve hours and eliminate fatty, sugary, carbonated and alcoholic beverages 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 examination.When determining the level of sugar, it is also forbidden to brush your teeth.
Before donating urine, it is not recommended to eat foods that are dyed in a different color or drink diuretics.Immediately before the collection, it is necessary to perform hygiene of the genitals.It is better for women not to be examined during menstruation.The first portion of urine collected is the first urination after waking up.
One week before the spermogram, you should give up alcohol.It is recommended to abstain from ejaculation 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.