health information
Does eating before a cholesterol test mess it up?
I had my cholesterol tested and the results were very high. This concerned me greatly, but I did have a meal like an hour before the test. Would this mess up the results?
I saw a story on ABC where a woman ate a high fat meal and you could see the fat in her blood for 6 hours until the body flushed it out.
In general, if you are having blood taken for cholesterol testing, you should not eat or drink anything except water at least 9 to 12 hours before the test. If you have had a radioactive scan in the past week, tell your doctor as this may affect the results of an LDL test.
The LDL test measures how much low-density lipoprotein (LDL) you have in your blood. LDL is a type of cholesterol. Wear a sleeveless or loose-sleeved top so you can expose your upper arm.Arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital.
Take care as always!