Can I drink alcohol before donating blood?

There are situations when you have to do tests, but the person drank. Accordingly, the question arises, is it possible to drink alcohol before donating blood? First of all, people are not interested in rumors, but what authoritative research says about the effect of alcohol on blood tests.

Alcohol and blood composition

You should know: alcohol affects all organs and systems of the body due to the fact that it is immediately absorbed into the blood and changes its composition. This is the main reason why alcohol affects the blood test and changes the indicators.

Therefore, if you want to get accurate results and drink the day before, you should consider 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 of drink, the type of analysis and the type of alcohol. But it is still better not to take risks: if the analysis is paid, you can lose serious money.

blood composition and alcohol consumption

And if vodka is more or less clear, then when it comes to a low-alcohol beverage, so that an alcoholic can understand whether it is possible to drink beer before taking it, you need to understand exactly how to drink alcohol beforethe tests affect 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 leads to thickening of the blood. This leads to the fact that the total 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 photo. 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 in the blood, the harder it is for the body to fight infections.

blood test and alcohol consumption photo 1

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 a person feels intoxicated for some time after drinking, this is an accurate indicator that the immune system is damaged. Such amounts of alcohol create a deficiency of nutrients, which weakens the immune system. And all this is able to show the analysis.

Alcohol also has a negative effect on red blood cells: it causes them to stick together. As a result, lumps of red blood cells often cannot pass into narrow vessels and block blood flow to the capillaries. This significantly reduces the supply of oxygen to the tissues and the body's cells begin to experience oxygen starvation. This has a negative effect on health and, accordingly, on the analysis.

Biochemical analysis

Alcohol should not be drunk during blood tests, including if it is necessary to analyze the biochemical composition of plasma. These data are needed by the doctor to obtain information about the normal functioning of the kidneys, liver, heart and other important organs.

Biochemical blood test indicators include tests for 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 balance and change the level of all indicators, which will affect the results of the analysis.

blood test and alcohol consumption photo 2

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 (necessary for the creation of brain tissue, nerve cells, hormones), then alcohol increases its level in the blood no less than animal fats.

Although the body needs cholesterol, excess cholesterol can cause heart disease, as it is the cause of atherosclerosis.

Another type of blood test that is strongly influenced by alcohol consumption are tests that check liver function. In principle, they measure whether the enzymes it produces have deviated from the norm. Their number after alcohol can be increased or decreased 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 strongly affects the acid-base balance and brain function. Drinking alcohol increases the amount of this toxin in the blood and poisons the tissues.

Hormones and alcohol

If a person drinks alcohol before taking a blood test for hormones, the result will be unreliable. The fact is that hormones are chemicals that control and coordinate the activity of all tissues and organs. Each is secreted by a specific gland and, once in the bloodstream, is directed to the target cell.

In order for the hormonal system to function properly and for the tissues to respond properly, the amount of hormones in the blood must be constantly normal. Drinking alcohol significantly impairs the activity of glands that produce hormones, having a negative impact on health. Therefore, 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.

wine before a blood test

One 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 results of the analysis and is the answer to whether it is possible to drink alcohol before blood donation. If you drink alcohol constantly, impotence and infertility often develop.

alcohol and glucose

If you need to donate blood for sugar (glucose), then you should know that although it is not a hormone, it clearly shows whether the other two hormones, insulin and glucagon, produced by the pancreas, work. The fact is that glucose is the main source of energy in the body, thanks to which cells can grow and develop.

Hormones of the pancreas, as well as the adrenal and pituitary glands, regulate and maintain normal blood glucose levels. For example, the job of insulin is to deliver glucose to every cell in the body. Its work is especially important for the activity of the brain, as it does not store glucose, but is completely dependent on the supply of this substance from the blood.

whiskey before a blood test

Alcohol disrupts the activity of all these glands, which slows down the metabolism of glucose and its level is below normal. But there may be a leap in the great direction. For example, in chronic alcoholics, on the other hand, blood glucose levels rise, leading to a decrease in insulin receptor sensitivity.

In any case, the deviation of sugar from the norm is a worrying sign. Therefore, if a person donates blood for sugar after drinking alcohol, the doctor may suspect that he has diabetes.

When it is allowed to be taken

Thus, it is obvious that alcohol, which has a negative effect on the work of many organs and systems, is the reason why the blood test gives negative results, causing the doctor to sound the alarm. How long it takes the body to work depends on:

  • how much time has passed since the last dose taken;
  • how much a person drank;
  • How much do you drink in general?

If it was a glass of wine, you can donate blood for a general analysis in one day. If you need to undergo a biochemical or other analysis that requires more in-depth preparation, you are allowed to come for the analysis after three days. In the case of a serious dose of alcohol, it is necessary to endure a longer period before taking the tests. To get the most accurate data, it is better to wait two weeks.