Do You Have Bad Bloods?

Did you know that many factors influence your blood test results?

This ranges from whether you fasted too little or too long, did strenuous exercise in the previous 48 hours, had any supplements in the last 48 hours, were dehydrated before the blood was taken and had alcohol 2 days to 7 days prior.

For the MOST accurate results its recommended you are “rested, hydrated and fasted”. 

• The majority of blood tests are better in an overnight fasted state, even if the pathology request slip from your GP states they are not fasted blood tests. In regards to fasting you do not want to fast for too long as most tests, apart from gene tests and antibody tests, show some degree of unreliability with fasting >12 hours.
• Dehydration for example will falsely increase haemoglobin, sodium, albumin, urea, Red Cell Count & Platelets. So make sure when you wake up that you have a couple of glasses of water before the blood test. 
• Strenuous exercise 48 hours prior to the test will falsely various tests such as several liver enzymes, white blood cell counts, serum iron, cortisol and zinc and falsely decrease TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) and eGFR, which is a kidney function marker.
• Alcohol intake up to 7 days prior can falsely increase one of your liver markers called GGT.
• If you dont fast for long enough most nutrients will be falsely increased as will some liver enzymes and white blood cell count and it will decrease some other tests. 
• Any Vitamin D supplements taken 7 days prior to a blood test will falsely increase your Vitamin D result. 

So to ensure your tests are accurate stop any supplements a minimum of 48 hours prior, 7 days if it contains Vitamin D, dont do any strenuous exercise 48 hours prior, gentle walking is ok, fast overnight but not more than 12 hours, and make sure you have a couple of glasses of water so you are not dehydrated.