According to studies, laboratory examinations are 60-80% useful for establishing a diagnosis.Of course, this is not the only thing that affects the diagnosis.To do this, it is necessary to compare the complete medical history of the patient and accompanying symptoms, but without tests, the diagnosis is almost impossible, since they allow one to see the complete picture.Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that nothing interferes with the test results, as this will interfere with 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 its use is not strictly recommended before such medical procedures.
The effect of alcohol on blood tests
It has been scientifically proven that ethyl acts in the human body as a powerful poison.When you consume even a small amount of a drink for adults, the immune system is activated, attacking the harmful substance and trying to neutralize it.Defense reactions are activated, aimed at the rapid removal of toxins and combating harmful effects.Under the influence of decay products, the chemical and qualitative composition of blood, seminal fluid and urine changes.The immune system is weakened, as blood cells are destroyed, their membranes are destroyed and the blood clots, forming blood clots.The kidneys and liver begin to work harder.Their cells are destroyed, lipid-fat metabolism is disrupted and severe intoxication occurs.The poison is not quickly removed from the body.Depending on the metabolic rate, this process lasts from two to three to seven days.
Of course, these processes significantly affect the analysis of blood, urine and semen.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 used in laboratory research.This also makes it difficult to accurately determine the presence of diseases and confuses medical workers.
Once in the stomach, the poison of alcohol 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 possibility 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 blood, distorting the concentration of micro- and macroelements, minerals and metals.The concentration of lactic and uric acids increases, which will also disrupt the results of biochemical analyses.Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus are washed away.When sampling from a vein, this is even more important to accurately describe the patient's condition.
Alcohol-containing beverages also alter hormonal levels, increasing stress hormones, as ethanol affects the functioning of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland.These glands are responsible for the production of 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 hard drinks have different effects on the body.For example, black 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 analysis.
Among other things, during a hangover a person is very weak and dehydrated, and therefore may feel worse after the procedure, lose consciousness and have 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 remains in the urine depends on individual characteristics, including metabolism.However, it's better to play it safe and not drink five to seven days before the test than to get inaccurate results.
During alcohol intoxication, the concentration of uric and lactic acids 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 injured.
The kidneys, whose job is to clean, will work hard to complete their task.They will actively get rid of the breakdown products of alcohol poisoning, which will lead to their high concentration in the urine.However, you should not try to speed up the process of removing toxins from your urine by using diuretics.This will indeed help speed up cleansing, but it will lead to more severe dehydration, additional stress on the kidneys and increased concentration of urine, and it will still not be 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 for a spermogram is infertility.Since alcohol greatly affects the ability of the seed 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 mobility decreases, the number of spermatozoa decreases and the number of damaged cells increases.This leads to a deterioration of the sperm count, so it is not recommended to drink beforehand for seven days.
Even low-alcohol drinks have an effect, as even a small ethanol content 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 herbal analogue of the female hormone, the excess of which negatively affects male reproductive cells.
If a damaged sperm fertilizes an egg, then fetal pathologies, abortions and mutations are possible.Therefore, ethyl damages 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 a small dose of ethyl alcohol before collecting samples for laboratory testing greatly distorts the results.As stated above, this leads to a misdiagnosis.A specialist may not notice serious diseases and may not prescribe the necessary treatment at the right time.It is also likely that the wrong treatment will be prescribed, which will lead to a worsening of the condition.Premature treatment of some diseases sometimes leads to irreversible consequences and to a state 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, thus only harming the patient.Drinking alcohol before surgery is especially dangerous, as it is not known how a drunk person will react to the intervention itself, to anesthesia.In addition, doctors risk making mistakes during surgery, relying on inaccurate data obtained while the patient is hungry.Such mistakes can have dire consequences.
How to prepare for testing
Most blood tests are performed in the morning after fasting eight to twelve Alcohol and tests: effect on results. hours.During this time, you can only drink water.You should give up alcohol for two to three days.Smoking is prohibited one hour before the test.It is also necessary to exclude possible increases in hormones due to stress or overload and not to take medications.
Before undergoing the hormone test, it is extremely important to abstain from food for eight to twelve hours and eliminate fatty, sweet, carbonated and alcoholic beverages from your diet a few 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 receive it no earlier than five days after the X-ray and ultrasound.While determining the sugar level, it is also forbidden to brush your teeth.
Before donating urine, it is not recommended to eat different colored foods or drink diuretics.Immediately before the meeting, it is necessary to perform genital hygiene.It is better for women not to take tests 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 refrain 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.