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An important source of information in the diagnosis of diseases is urine and blood tests. Any examination requires some preparation and one of the important requirements is the exclusion of alcohol. Beer is considered by many to be a harmless drink due to its low alcohol content. But in fact, even a small amount of ethanol affects the results of studies, which ultimately can lead to a distortion of the clinical picture and medical error.
Beer and urinalysis
Alcohol does not enter the excretory system immediately, but only 1-2 hours after drinking alcohol. The withdrawal period depends on the sex, age and state of human health and averages from one to two days. The breakdown products of ethanol remain in the urine much longer than in the blood.
Drinking beer before passing urine tests will disrupt the normal functioning of the kidneys and affect the indicators:
- uric acid – increases with gout and joint diseases;
- lactate – indicates circulatory disorders;
- glucose – used to diagnose diabetes.
Ethanol suppresses the pituitary gland’s production of the antidiuretic hormone vasopressin, which is responsible for the normal water balance of the body. At the same time, beer stimulates the activity of the kidneys, which begin to more actively remove excess fluid. As a result, dehydration occurs, blood viscosity increases, and the level of uric acid entering the excretory system rises.
Lactate is formed as a result of glucose metabolism in the body. Insulin plays an important role in this. The hormone is produced by the pancreas, which suffers from the negative effects of ethanol. Violation of metabolic processes contributes to the concentration of lactic acid both in the urine and in the blood serum.
The breakdown products of ethanol increase the permeability of cell walls, which facilitates the penetration of sugar inside, so the results of the analysis will be different from normal.
Beer before blood test
Alcoholic drinks of any strength cause changes in the human body, which must be taken into account when taking blood tests. The situation is complicated by the fact that the process of splitting ethanol takes a long time, and toxic substances are poorly excreted by the excretory system.
The effect of alcohol on blood tests:
- general – the number of red blood cells decreases, blood viscosity increases, hemoglobin levels fall;
- biochemical – the level of sugar decreases, the indicators of triglycerides, cholesterol, lactic and uric acid increase;
- on hormones – the results of studies of the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland are distorted.
Beer and hormone analysis
The hormonal background is most sensitive to the physical condition of a person. When preparing for examinations, doctors advise avoiding stress, limiting physical activity, and giving up smoking and alcohol.
Ethanol activates the production of cortisol and adrenaline, which are important in the study of the adrenal glands. Beer contains phytoestrogens, which suppress the production of thyroid hormones.
When can I drink beer before tests
Ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract, and then decomposes into relatively harmless enzymes and poisonous acetaldehyde. With urine and sweat, only 5% of toxins are released, and the rest is broken down directly in the tissues.
The exact period depends on the metabolic rate and in any case is at least a day. All this time, decay products affect the reliability of the analyzes.
To obtain objective results of diagnostic studies, it is necessary to refrain from drinking any alcohol before the tests for at least 48-72 hours. Only in this case, the doctor will be able to obtain an objective clinical picture and prescribe the correct treatment.