Can You Exercise Before Blood Test? Answered
On December 7, 2022 by Jane TuCan you exercise before the blood test? Exercise Isn’t Necessary For Accurate Blood Test Results.
Doctors frequently instruct you to adhere to a few straightforward guidelines before a standard blood test. You are typically instructed to abstain from food 8 to 12 hours prior to a fasting blood test. Juice, coffee, and soda should also not be consumed. Drinking water is generally beneficial because it helps blood-drawing procedures go more smoothly and keeps more fluid in your veins.
What Do Blood Tests Measure?
A blood test is a very popular screening method that evaluates your general health. In particular, if you’re getting ready for surgery or exhibiting unusual symptoms, your doctor may order a blood test to check for diseases and health conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
During these examinations, your risk factors for heart disease are examined, and you are screened for diseases like cancer, diabetes, anemia, and coronary heart disease. Either a finger prick or a needle is used to obtain a blood sample. A little discomfort is felt during the brief procedure.
Blood test results will be used by doctors to make a diagnosis, but they may also take other factors into account. Your signs and symptoms, along with data from your vital signs like blood pressure and pulse, help the doctor complete the picture and determine the cause of your condition.
What Can Affect Blood Test Results?
In order to get the most accurate results from a blood test, there are some preparation mistakes you should make. Many people are unaware that what they eat or how soon they exercise before a blood test can affect the results.
According to U.S. guidelines, you must fast for eight to twelve hours prior to a glucose test to rule out diabetes. Nation’s Medical Library Your blood sugar levels will be measured by this sort of test.
Lipid tests, which check your triglyceride and cholesterol levels, also frequently call for you to fast for eight to twelve hours before the test.
Why You Can’t Exercise before Blood Test?
Your doctor may advise against exercise for the first and only time in your life. Blood test results may be adversely affected by exercise. Your blood should be drawn when you’re rested for the most accurate blood test results, advises Dr. Krajcik says.
Exercise before a fasting blood test can affect the results of the cholesterol and glucose tests. “In some cases of cholesterol testing, if you exercise before having blood drawn, your LDL cholesterol levels may actually increase,” he says. “You want to keep this level of bad cholesterol low.”
Exercise enhances a blood panel overall, but vigorous exercise prior to a blood draw may impair the results, so wait to work out until after.
What Things You Should Know to Prepare for Your Blood Draw?
There are eleven things listed for you to prepare for your blood draw.
Fast for 12 Hours before the Blood Draw
Make sure to fast for at least 12 hours prior to your test in order to obtain the most precise biomarker measurements from your blood draw. Black coffee is acceptable during this fast, though it’s advised to drink lots of water. All food and most drinks are off-limits.
Do Not Engage in Strenuous Exercise for Two Days before the Blood Test
Blood biomarkers like the liver enzymes ALT and AST, creatine kinase, and hsCRP, which are linked to muscle breakdown and inflammation, may be elevated in the blood if you exercise vigorously the day before your blood draw. Beginner weightlifters should refrain from lifting weights for at least 7 days prior to their InsideTracker blood test, even though we advise a 2-day recovery period for the majority of people.
Schedule Your Blood Draw for the Morning
Most people find it easiest to fast overnight, so we advise having your test in the morning. Additionally, it is best to measure a lot of biomarkers in the morning.
Do Not Drink Any Alcohol for at Least 24 Hours before the Blood Test
Alcohol consumption the night before a blood test can significantly increase triglycerides, glucose, and the liver enzyme GGT. For the most accurate results, it is advised that you abstain from alcohol for 24 hours.
Do Not Take Supplements Within 24 Hours of Your Blood Draw
Additionally, some of your biomarkers may be acutely impacted by supplementation. Similar to how we advise against drinking alcohol, we advise against taking supplements for a full 24 hours so that nothing lingers in your blood and your levels reflect a true baseline for your body. The blood levels will remain elevated for a few months in those who receive vitamin or mineral IV infusions, so keep that in mind. Avoid taking Biotin supplements for at least 72 hours prior to your test if you are supplementing with them.
Drink Extra Water before the Blood Test to Ensure Proper Hydration
It’s crucial to drink water before getting your blood drawn because more water increases the volume of your blood. Being adequately hydrated can speed up your appointment by helping the phlebotomist find veins more quickly.
Continue Medication Use as Recommended by Your Physician
While it’s a good idea to avoid taking supplements right before your blood draw, you should keep taking all medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, as prescribed by your doctor. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs, as well as other painkillers, may have an immediate negative impact on the liver enzyme GGT. Additionally, since many of these medications thin the blood, some people may notice that their platelets—which help the blood clot—appear slightly lower than normal.
What You Should Not Do Before a Blood Test?
Recommendations for how to prepare for a blood test:
- For eight to twelve hours before the test, abstain from eating and drinking. …
- Three hours prior to the clinical blood test, you should avoid eating.
- 1-2 days before the test, cut back on fried and fatty foods, and avoid alcohol.
- Avoid smoking an hour before the test.
What Are the Effects of Exercise before a Blood Test?
It is fairly simple to understand how eating and drinking can impact your blood tests, but what about exercise?
Blood Sugar
Fasting glucose tests measure blood sugar and may aid in the identification of diabetes. A December 2017 study in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation (JER) discovered that participating in the aerobic exercise of moderate intensity has no impact on the outcomes of blood tests.
However, high-intensity exercise may lead to an increase in the production of glucose and result in high blood sugar levels for one to two hours. To ensure accurate results from your bloodwork, refrain from engaging in any high-intensity exercise for at least two hours prior to the test.
Cholesterol
In the JER study, it was determined that short-term exercise had no effect on lipids or total blood cholesterol levels. High-density cholesterol (HDL) and triglycerides, however, responded favorably to vigorous exercise for longer than three days.
Red Blood Cells
The blood’s red blood cell (RBC) count will rise with regular exercise. Anemia and/or a lack of iron can both be indicated by a low RBC count. In a small study published in the Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine (OAJSM) in April 2016 that examined blood markers before, during, and after a two-day marathon found that RBC was significantly higher during the race and lower than baseline after the race. After the race, things were back to normal.
Some of these findings, according to researchers, are the result of running-related dehydration. Make sure to drink water after exercising before the test, and tell your doctor if you did.
Inflammatory Markers
According to the OAJSM study, marathon runners can have higher levels of inflammatory markers during challenging runs, including high levels of white blood cells, but these levels return to normal afterward.
The OAJSM study also notes that after exercise, blood concentrations of the liver function test AST and the muscle enzyme creatine kinase (CK) will be higher. These levels take several days to a week to return to normal.
Avoid doing high-intensity exercise a few days before bloodwork to be on the safe side. Keep your doctor informed of how much exercise you get, especially if you exercise frequently.
What Will Mess Up a Blood Test?
Caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco are all examples of substances that could affect lab test results, depending on the amount consumed and the type of test. Since they are considered diuretics, caffeinated drinks like coffee and black tea can slow down digestion.
How Long Should I Not Exercise before a Blood Test?
Do not engage in strenuous exercise for two days before the blood test. Blood biomarkers like the liver enzymes ALT and AST, creatine kinase, and hsCRP—which are linked to inflammation and muscle breakdown—might be elevated if you exercised vigorously the day before your draw.
Can You Workout Same Day as the Blood Test?
It’s best to postpone exercise or carrying heavy objects for the first hour or so after your venipuncture.
You are not allowed exercise before the blood test. Or the results of the blood test are affected. You should follow the things above to prepare for the blood test.
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