Contents
Alcohol is classified by the human body as a poison, so immediately after drinking any alcoholic beverages (even beer), protective functions are activated to quickly neutralize and eliminate toxins. In addition, ethanol very quickly penetrates into the blood, urine and semen, changing their composition. It reacts with substances used in the study of analyzes. If you take tests immediately after drinking alcohol (even a small amount of beer), the doctor may make a false diagnosis or not notice a serious illness.
Ethanol is excreted from the blood much faster than from urine. Popular tables showing the dependence of the rate of excretion of alcohol from the blood and urine, depending on body weight and the amount drunk, are inaccurate, since the metabolic rate of all people is different. In order to accurately establish whether alcohol affects the analyzes after the time indicated in the table, too many parameters must be taken into account. It is much easier not to drink alcohol for at least 2-3 days before the examination, and in serious cases, for example, before surgery, up to 5 days.
The effect of alcohol on a blood test
Once in the blood, alcohol:
- dissolves the shell of erythrocytes, deprives them of mobility. The viscosity of the blood increases, the number of red blood cells and the level of hemoglobin decrease;
- slows down the process of glucose synthesis in the liver. A healthy person can be diagnosed with diabetes;
- increases the concentration of lactic acid, which can lead to misdiagnosis of heart failure, circulatory disorders, internal bleeding;
- increases the content of uric acid, and this is a sign of gout and other diseases of the joints;
- increases cholesterol levels;
- increases the level of neutral fats, because of which the attending physician may suspect coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis, cerebral thrombosis, renal failure, hepatitis. Alcohol slows down lipid metabolism in the liver. Incorrect information about lipid metabolism is especially dangerous when conducting tests before surgery;
- changes the concentration of micro and macro elements, which completely eliminates the possibility of determining which substances the body needs;
- changes the hormonal background, so it is impossible to study the production of hormones by the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. Hormonal studies are among the most expensive, so a patient who cannot resist the temptation to drink alcohol is just wasting money.
An exception is the diagnosis of some sexually transmitted diseases, when it is necessary to specifically provoke a slight decrease in immunity. In such situations, doctors themselves advise to eat something very salty and drink a little alcohol before the tests (8-10 hours before the test).
The main part of ethanol is excreted from the blood within 6-8 hours after consumption, but toxins that can distort the results of tests are detected for at least another day.
The effect of alcohol on urinalysis
The peculiarity of urine is that alcohol is present in it even after it has been removed from the blood. Therefore, if you simultaneously take urine and blood tests 12–24 hours after drinking alcohol, the results of the study will be illogical: alcohol has almost ceased to act in the blood, and there are still many decomposition products in the urine.
In the urine of a patient who has drunk an alcoholic beverage:
- increases the concentration of uric acid;
- the content of lactate and glucose increases;
- if the alcohol contained preservatives, dyes, flavor enhancers (we are talking about beer, liqueurs, cocktails, fortified wines), traces of these chemicals will be detected in the urine for at least 2-3 days.
Particularly complex analyzes make it possible to detect the breakdown products of alcohol in the urine even 5-7 days after drinking alcohol. Do not drink for at least 2-3 days before testing.
Accelerating the elimination of toxins by taking diuretics does not make sense. In this case, an additional burden on the kidneys is created, and a large amount of potassium is excreted along with toxins, so the research results will still be erroneous.
The effect of alcohol on spermogram
A semen test is prescribed for suspected various diseases, when planning a conception or treating infertility. If we are talking about sexually transmitted diseases, then tests after alcohol cannot be taken for at least 4 days.
If a spermogram is being studied to determine the causes of infertility, doctors recommend refraining from drinking all types of alcohol a week before the tests, and even better – for the entire period of treatment. Ethanol degrades the quality of sperm, and in order for it to contain a sufficient amount of healthy and fertile sperm, you will need to give up alcohol for at least three months.
Attention! Self-medication can be dangerous, consult your doctor.