Donate blood on an empty stomach and you can drink it. Features of different types of research. Preparing for the test

The practice of drinking water on an empty stomach is widespread in Japanese culture and dates back to ancient times.

And despite the influence of the genetic factor, which in no case should be discounted, this habit also helped the Japanese to remain healthy, slim and fit.

1. It helps us get rid of toxins

Water naturally stimulates intestinal motility. During the night's rest, our body performs a recovery process and tries to get rid of all the waste and toxins that have accumulated in it.

For this reason, when you drink water on an empty stomach, you help your body rid itself of everything harmful and unnecessary so that it can stay fresh and healthy for as long as possible.

Drinking plenty of water can also promote the production of muscle cells and new blood cells. Both will also, in turn, help the body be free of toxins.

2. Improves metabolism

Drinking water on an empty stomach can speed up your metabolism by as much as 24%. If you are on a strict diet, then metabolic processes will make the digestive system work “for you”.

It will be easier for you to stick to your chosen diet, and food will be digested much faster. Plus, drinking water on an empty stomach will help you cleanse your rectum better.

This will make it much easier for your body to absorb nutrients and make it more efficient.

3. Helps to get rid of excess weight without harm to health

Improves the functioning of the digestive system and rids the body of accumulated toxins; makes you feel less hungry and reduces food cravings; allows you to avoid weight gain due to stress eating and other negative emotions.

4. Reduces Heartburn and Indigestion

Indigestion usually occurs due to increased acidity. If you suffer from heartburn regularly, then drinking water on an empty stomach will help you alleviate this condition to a large extent.

The fact is that when water enters an empty stomach, the rising acids fall again and dissolve in the water. This way you will solve this problem without having to take medications.

Plus, it will prepare your stomach for breakfast.

5. Improves the appearance and health of your skin

Dehydration is one of the main causes of premature wrinkles and enlarged pores on the skin. Water will help you provide your body with protection from these signs of aging.

Drinking at least 2 glasses of water on an empty stomach will already increase blood flow to the skin and thus make it brighter, and your body will be properly freed from accumulated waste and toxins.

6. Gives health, softness and shine to your hair

In addition to the fact that dehydration negatively affects the condition of the skin, the hair also suffers. Therefore, if you want them to be a source of pride and to “glow” with health from the inside, you must drink water, and in sufficient quantities!

Water makes up about 1/4 of the total weight of our hair. Consequently, if you consume little water, your hair becomes thin and brittle.

7. Prevents Bladder Infections and Kidney Stones

Drinking water on an empty stomach dissolves acids that can cause kidney stones.

The more water you drink, the better you can protect your body from various types of infections caused by the accumulation of toxins in the bladder.

8. Strengthens your immune system

Clean drinking water “flushes” and “balances” the lymphatic system of our body. As a result, the protective forces are strengthened (our immunity performs its main task “perfectly”).

A strong immune system keeps us safe by preventing the development of numerous diseases. Even a common cold will appear much less frequently.

How to drink water correctly?

All you have to do is drink 2-4 glasses of water when you wake up. Right as soon as you get out of bed, without brushing your teeth and, of course, without eating breakfast.

After this, at least 30 minutes must pass, and only then can you start eating. And after breakfast you should not drink for 2 hours.

Yes, some may find it difficult to drink 4 glasses of water on an empty stomach, but you need to understand that this will really help your body a lot.

Just try to start with the amount that your body will accept, gradually increasing it to 2-4 glasses.

When a doctor prescribes a blood test, he usually mentions that the biomaterial must be taken on an empty stomach, since eating before the procedure significantly distorts the test results. But he does not always talk about whether it is possible to drink water before donating blood, or how much time should pass between drinking a glass of water and the procedure. Therefore, often a person, when he begins to feel thirsty, asks himself these questions and does not know what to do.

While it is not difficult to refrain from food in order to donate blood on an empty stomach in the morning, with water everything is completely different: if a person is thirsty, he feels extremely uncomfortable. Fortunately, ordinary, still water does not affect the indicators, so you can drink it (with very rare exceptions, which your doctor will definitely warn you about).

However, doctors do not recommend drinking too much water, since drinking too much can cause high blood pressure. If you drink it in small portions, it will not affect your blood counts. As for the answer to the question of how long before the procedure you can drink water, there is no definite answer, so it is better to check this point with your doctor and follow his recommendations. But in any case, fifteen minutes before the procedure it is advisable to refrain from using it.

It must be kept in mind that you can only drink still water. As surprising as it may sound, even ordinary, unsweetened soda has a negative effect on the body, and this even applies to mineral water: doctors recommend drinking it only after the gas has been released. The fact is that it contains carbon dioxide, which helps preserve the drink, but is harmful to health: after soda enters the stomach or intestines, it begins to corrode the walls, causes bloating, fermentation, and can provoke gastritis.

Naturally, this also affects the composition of the blood, since it causes an increase in the number of white blood cells in the blood, which are part of the body’s immune system, and also changes the number of other blood components. That's why doctors say that you shouldn't drink soda in the morning before the test.


Sweet soda makes the situation worse because it increases glucose levels. Also, most drinks contain orthophosphoric acid, under the influence of which calcium is washed out of the body, which causes brittle bones, brittle nails, and weak hair. Some drinks have a stimulating effect on the central nervous and cardiovascular systems, make the blood flow faster, and promote the release of certain hormones into the blood.

Sweet soda contains various additives that have a negative impact on health, including those that can cause allergies (for example, E211, E110 and even natural aromatic components).

This negative impact of carbonated drinks on the functioning of various organs and systems is also reflected in the composition of the blood, increasing or decreasing the amount of hormones, proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Taking this into account, doctors do not recommend drinking soda in the morning.

Impact of other drinks

Coffee, tea, and milk can also change the composition of the blood. The consequence of this may be incorrect results, and the data will be either increased or decreased.

Coffee and tea have a powerful stimulating effect on the cardiovascular system, causing the blood to move faster. True, on the Internet you can find many reviews that the person drank tea before the analysis, and this did not affect the results. But in this case, we must keep in mind that mostly healthy people write about this, whose indicators, although they fluctuate after eating, drinking coffee or tea, are within normal limits.


If a person is pre-diabetic, for example, certain drinks may lower blood sugar. As a result, the doctor will not be able to identify a health-threatening disease and prescribe treatment in time to stop the development of diabetes. Other drinks, on the contrary, can increase blood sugar and show the presence of diabetes in a person who actually does not have it. In this situation, the error is easier to detect, since a repeat analysis is ordered.

As for milk, it is not so much a drink as a food, since it contains many nutrients (for example, it can increase cholesterol levels in the blood). And any food before the test causes an increase in leukocytes, glucose, hormones and other blood components, so you should not drink milk before donating blood.

Why is alcohol prohibited before the procedure?

Particular attention should be paid to alcohol consumption before donating blood. If we talk about how much time should pass between drinking alcohol and the procedure, doctors’ answer is clear: alcohol should not be consumed 72 hours before the test. If a small amount was drunk, this period is slightly shorter - two days. Moreover, you cannot drink not only vodka, cognac, wine, but also beer and other low-alcohol drinks.


The fact is that ethanol, after entering the body, causes various chemical reactions and greatly changes the composition in the blood, including the following effects on the body:

  • destroys red blood cells, promotes their gluing, which leads to the formation of blood clots;
  • the number of hemoglobin in the blood decreases;
  • reduces the synthesis of leukocytes;
  • worsens platelet aggregation, which negatively affects blood clotting;
  • reduces or increases the amount of glucose in the blood, which makes it difficult to detect the disease, and is also extremely dangerous for diabetics who need to monitor their sugar levels;
  • reduces blood viscosity;
  • increases the amount of cholesterol;
  • the hormone adrenaline is released;
  • increases or decreases blood pressure;
  • impairs metabolism;
  • Beneficial components are washed out of the blood.

This is not a complete list of the negative effects of alcohol on the blood and the body as a whole. If a person comes to donate blood immediately after drinking alcohol, the results will be greatly distorted and unreliable, which is especially dangerous when taking a test for sugar, hormones, HIV, hepatitis B or C, syphilis: the doctor may prescribe the wrong treatment regimen based on the distorted results.

If it so happens that it was not possible to abstain from drinking alcohol, the visit to the laboratory must be postponed for two to three days. This precaution will not only help you get the correct results, but will also prevent unnecessary expenses, since most tests are paid and quite expensive.

Blood tests are a kind of foundation of medicine. It is on such tests that the diagnosis and treatment prescription depend. In fact, 80% of information about human health can be obtained from blood. The accuracy and reliability of the results obtained directly depends on:

  • medical laboratory equipment;
  • professional level of doctor;
  • correctness of the fence;
  • compliance with preparatory measures by the patient.

From this article you will learn not only the answer to the question of whether you can drink tea or other drinks before taking the test, but also other preparatory recommendations for all kinds of studies. This list includes:

  1. General analysis.
  2. Extensive research.
  3. Testing for infectious diseases.
  4. For hormones.

For each of these tests, you will learn the steps to follow before going to the hospital.

general information

To conduct a biochemical analysis or to determine hormonal levels, at least 2 ml is taken from patients. Therefore, such a volume is taken not from a finger, but from a vein. And if the laboratory technician does everything correctly, then at this step the likelihood of violating the integrity of blood cells is significantly reduced, which, in turn, has a significant impact on the results of the analysis.

For most types of studies, it is necessary to donate blood on an empty stomach and nothing more. This means the last meal 8 hours before going to the hospital (usually in the morning, immediately after sleep).

The main question: is it possible to drink tea or other drinks before taking the test? The answer is simple - you can't. These drinks greatly affect the results of the research, so you should refrain from drinking them. The only thing you can do is drink water. Pay attention to the three-day diet before visiting the laboratory. If it contained fatty, fried foods and alcohol, then it is better to postpone the day of the test for a couple of days. An hour before donating blood, do not smoke.

To get accurate results from an analysis of lipid levels, exclude animal fats, cheese, sausages, egg yolks, and caviar from your daily diet for a week, and only then get tested. Otherwise the level will be increased.

Preparing for a detailed or general blood test

As mentioned earlier, it is advisable to donate blood on an empty stomach. Otherwise, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. Eat food one hour before the procedure.
  2. There should be nothing sweet in your diet.
  3. You can drink unsweetened tea, eat unsweetened porridge without apples, butter and milk.

For infectious diseases

There are no strict restrictions when donating blood for infectious diseases, and there is no need for prior fasting. This list includes the following disease tests:

  1. Viral hepatitis.
  2. Rubella.
  3. Cytomegalovirus.
  4. Presence of antibodies.

This list may include other infectious diseases. You are allowed to donate blood at any time of the day. If the patient is already infected, the level of antibodies in the body does not depend on whether the person ate before the examination or not.

Hormone analysis

The level of hormones in the blood tends to fluctuate throughout the day. Therefore, in order to obtain correct results for determining TSH, iron and parahormone, it is necessary to undergo the procedure strictly before 11 am. To determine cortisol in the blood, you need to donate blood from 8.00 to 20.00.

To increase the accuracy of the results, undergo the procedure at the same time.

For this test, blood is always donated before taking medications and 14 days after completing the treatment course.

Before entering the laboratory, you need to calm down for 10-15 minutes, as nervousness can affect changes in blood sugar levels.

When testing for the presence of infectious diseases, it must be taken into account that depending on the period of infection and the state of immunity, any patient can be given a negative result. But this arrangement cannot completely eliminate the possibility of infection. Therefore, it is advisable to repeat the blood test 3-4 weeks after the preliminary study.

If blood is taken from a vein, a bruise may form that will take a very long time to heal. To prevent this, you need to bend your arm at the elbow immediately after taking the test and hold it in this position for up to 15 minutes. Upon arriving home in the evening, it is advisable to apply a compress of alcohol diluted in water. The ratio of ingredients is 1:1. Leave for up to 20 minutes, after which you can remove.

Be sure to warn your doctor about possible dizziness, weakness and fear of losing consciousness. As a result, blood sampling will take place in a supine position to minimize risks.

Blood tests are highly informative, but accurate results are only possible with regular examination. For healthy people under 40 years of age, the frequency of testing is reduced to once a year. If you have chronic diseases, it is advisable to increase your frequency of visits to the laboratory from once a quarter to a monthly visit.

Is it possible to drink water before donating blood for biochemistry?

    You can’t drink water before going under anesthesia, but you can’t drink water before donating blood for tests. You can’t eat, yes, so you’ll have to wait a couple of hours without breakfast, but after donating blood you’ll be able to eat normally, nothing bad will happen.

    You can and should drink pure ordinary water; you cannot drink other drinks - tea, coffee, cocoa, juice, mineral water, lemonades and alcoholic drinks.

    The fact that most tests (including a biochemical blood test, which examines the amount of total protein, creatinine, urea, bilirubin and its fractions, liver enzymes, etc. per unit volume of blood) must be taken on an empty stomach does not mean that it is strictly prohibited to take plain water. Drinking a cup of water will have virtually no effect on the results (there will be no distortion). Therefore, you can safely give water.

    You can drink water in small quantities, the main thing is to use regular water, without any additives. Moreover, this is a small child and it is more difficult to explain to him that he cannot eat now. And this will satisfy his hunger a little.

    You can generally donate blood for biochemistry on an empty stomach, but if you can’t stand it or you have a small child in mind, then regarding water we can say that before taking such an analysis you can drink water, but only a little and plain water without dyes and sweeteners.

    If you are going to donate blood for biochemistry, a glass of water won’t hurt. The main thing is that it does not contain heavy metal salts. And, of course, you should not drink liters of water.

    In hospitals they usually say that it’s still worth being patient, but I don’t think it’s worth starving at all and you can drink water.

    As you know, it is absolutely forbidden to eat before the analysis, but you can drink. But definitely do not drink tea, juices, or other drinks that can affect test results. Before taking this test, you can drink ONLY water (some doctors even believe that this is necessary).

    Drinking water can be drunk before the analysis - in reasonable quantities, not too much, just so that there is no strong thirst. But the water should be unsweetened. Juice and soda are very undesirable - they can affect the results.

    Of course you can drink, this will at least somehow delay the hunger of a small child. But then after donating blood he will have a great appetite)

    A biochemical study is a study of venous blood, which is taken from the ulnar vein.

    The necessary conditions:

    1. Blood is taken on an empty stomach. At least 8 hours (ideally 12 hours) must pass between the last meal and the test.

    2.) It is advisable to exclude fatty foods from the diet for 1-2 days

    3. Refuse to drink alcohol per day (for adults) and smoke (at least an hour)

    4. Eliminate factors influencing the analysis result: physical stress (running, jumping, etc.

    emotional excitement. To do this, before performing the analysis you need to sit quietly for about 15 minutes

    5. If you are taking any medications, you need to tell your doctor. Some medications are undesirable

    Take immediately before the biopsy.

    6. Blood should not be donated immediately after x-rays or physical procedures.

    7. You can drink WATER before the biopsy analysis, but avoid juice, tea, and other drinks.

    Such a small child cannot stand being hungry, water will not harm, at least he will not cry from hunger, but only water, nothing else should be given, not milk, kefir, tea or anything else, then the analysis will be reliable.

    Yes, I remember asking this question when I was pregnant. And pregnant women often donate blood and constantly want to eat. So, I asked if I could at least drink? They told me that it was even necessary! When donating blood for any test, you should drink 1 glass of clean, non-carbonated water! This is the only thing that is possible when donating blood for absolutely any test. And for some blood tests, I don’t remember which ones, you can drink 1 glass of sweet tea!

Can I drink water before donating blood? This question worries many patients. Let's figure it out.

Each of us has to undergo tests at least sometimes. Often, patients in a hurry forget to ask the doctor about the rules for donating blood, and the medical workers themselves simply do not have time to explain all the nuances. After all, the time for each patient is strictly limited. However, failure to follow certain recommendations may seriously affect study results.

General rules for donating blood

These rules apply to all blood tests without exception.

  • You must come to donate blood strictly on an empty stomach. At least 12 hours must pass after the last meal. The day before you should avoid fried and fatty foods.
  • The day before donating blood, you should not drink alcohol, actively engage in sports, or visit baths and saunas.

Can I drink water before donating blood?

Before donating blood, you can allow yourself to drink a glass of plain, clean water. This will not affect the results of the study. Drinking tea, coffee and other drinks is prohibited.

Some doctors say that you should not drink anything, not even water, before testing for sugar. Also remember that before such an examination you should not brush your teeth or chew gum. They may contain sugar, which will affect the analysis. That's it for the blood test.

We also note that before taking a throat smear, you should absolutely not drink water, as you will wash away pathogenic bacteria that doctors will not be able to detect.