There are situations when you need to do tests, but the person has been drinking. Therefore, the question arises, is it possible to drink alcohol before donating blood? First of all, people are not interested in gossip, but what authoritative scientific studies say about the effect of alcohol on blood tests.
Alcohol and blood composition
You should know: alcohol affects all organs and systems of the body for the fact that it is immediately absorbed into the blood and changes its composition. This is the main reason that alcohol affects the blood test and changes the indicators.
This is why, if you want to get accurate results and drink the day before, you need to think about whether it is possible to donate blood after alcohol and, if possible, postpone blood donation for two or three days. Of course, the effect of alcohol on blood tests may be small, and in some cases the indicators will not change much: much depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the amount drunk, the type of test and the type of alcohol. But still, it is better not to risk: if the test pays off, you can lose serious money.
And if it is more or less clear with vodka, then when it comes to a low-alcohol drink, in order for an alcohol lover to understand if it is possible to drink beer before taking it, you need to understand exactly howdrink alcohol before tests. affects the body. To do this, you need to have an idea of how alcohol affects metabolism and other processes.
Clinical blood test
Alcohol causes dehydration of the body, which causes the blood to thicken. This leads to the fact that a general blood test may show a false increase in the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, when their number has not changed, but the amount of water in the blood.
There may be another picture. For example, excess alcohol lowers the level of white blood cells in the blood. This is due to the fact that immune cells die in the fight against toxins, due to which the number of leukocytes becomes below normal. The fewer white blood cells there are, the harder it is for the body to cope with infections.
Of course, drinking one or two doses of alcohol is unlikely to adversely affect the functioning of the immune system. But if you drink a lot of alcohol, that's a whole other story. If some time after drinking a person feels drunk, this is an accurate indication that the immune system is being damaged. With such amounts of alcohol is created a lack of nutrients, which weakens the immune system. And all this is able to display the analysis.
Alcohol also has a negative effect on red blood cells: it causes them to stick together. Because of this, red blood cell clusters are often unable to pass into narrow vessels and block blood flow to the capillaries. This significantly reduces the oxygen supply to the tissues, and the body's cells begin to experience oxygen starvation. This negatively affects the state of health, and, accordingly, the analysis.
Biochemical analysis
Alcohol should not be drunk during any blood test, including if a plasma biochemical composition test is necessary. This data is needed by the doctor to get information about the normal functioning of the kidneys, liver, heart and other important organs.
Indicators of a biochemical blood test include studies of enzymes, proteins, hormones, electrolytes, glucose, potassium, sodium, chlorine, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Excessive or accidental drinking can lead to an imbalance in the acid-base equilibrium and change the level of all indicators, which will affect the results of the analysis.
Drinking alcohol negatively affects the functioning of the cardiovascular system. Therefore, if the doctor prescribes tests aimed at diagnosing her work, the results will be negative. For example, if we talk about how alcohol affects total cholesterol (needed to create brain tissue, nerve cells, hormones), then alcohol increases its level in the blood no less than animal fats.
Although the body needs cholesterol, its excess amount can cause heart disease as it is the cause of atherosclerosis.
Another type of blood test that is heavily influenced by alcohol consumption is tests that check liver function. Basically, they measure whether the enzymes it produces have deviated from the norm. Their number after alcohol may increase or decrease, depending on the condition of the liver.
After drinking alcohol, the level of ammonia in the blood increases, which is the end product of protein metabolism. It then enters the liver through the portal vein, where it is converted to urea. The level of this toxic substance greatly affects the acid-base balance and brain function. Drinking alcohol increases the amount of this toxin in the blood and poisons tissues.
Hormones and alcohol
If a person drinks alcohol before doing a blood test for hormones, the result will be incredible. The fact is that hormones are chemicals that control and coordinate the activity of all tissues and organs. Each of them is secreted by a certain gland and, after entering the bloodstream, is directed to the target cell.
In order for the hormonal system to function normally and the tissues to respond properly, the amount of hormones in the blood must be constantly normal. Drinking alcohol significantly disrupts the activity of hormones-producing glands, adversely affecting health. This is why if a person drinks before donating blood, the work of the hormonal system will be disrupted, which will be reflected in the test results. Therefore, answering the question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol before donating blood for hormones, the answer is no.
An example of the effect of alcohol on the hormonal system is its effect on sex hormones. Among them, the most important are two groups of hormones - androgens and estrogens. These hormones affect puberty, and various manifestations of secondary and primary sexual characteristics in men and women (hair growth, breast development, menstrual cycle, fertility).
Alcohol has a negative effect on all these processes, which affects the test results, and is the answer, is it possible to drink alcohol before donating blood. If you drink alcohol constantly, impotence and infertility often develop.
alcohol and glucose
If you have to donate blood for sugar (glucose), then you should know that although it is not a hormone, it clearly shows if the other two hormones, insulin and glucagon, which the pancreas produces, are doing their job. The fact is that glucose is the main source of energy in the body, thanks to which cells can grow and develop.
Pancreatic hormones, as well as the adrenal and pituitary glands, regulate and maintain normal blood glucose levels. For example, the job of insulin is to send glucose to every cell in the body. Its work is especially important for brain activity, as it does not store glucose, but depends entirely on the supply of this substance from the blood.
Alcohol disrupts the activity of all these glands, due to which glucose metabolism slows down and its level is below normal. But there can also be a jump in the big direction. For example, in chronic alcoholics, on the contrary, the level of glucose in the blood increases, which causes a decrease in the sensitivity of insulin receptors.
In any case, the deviation of sugar from the norm is an alarming sign. This is why if a person donates blood for sugar after drinking alcohol, the doctor may suspect that he has diabetes.
When allowed to be taken
So, it is clear that alcohol, negatively affecting the work of many organs and systems, is the reason that the blood test gives negative results, causing the doctor to sound the alarm. How long it takes the body to put it to work depends on:
- how long it has been since taking the last dose;
- how much the person drank;
- How much does he drink in general?
If it was a glass of wine, you can donate blood for a general analysis within a day. If you need to pass a biochemical analysis or another analysis that requires more thorough preparation, you are allowed to come in for analysis after three days. In case of taking a serious dose of alcohol, it is necessary to face a longer period before doing the tests. To get the most accurate data, it is better to wait two weeks.