Maintaining a healthy level of both good cholesterol and bad cholesterol is essential for overall health. Complications can arise if cholesterol levels get too high. If cholesterol builds up too much in your blood, this waxy substance will eventually create plaque which results in clogged arteries that affect heart health.
Unfortunately, high cholesterol levels have little to no symptoms in the beginning. The best way to monitor your cholesterol levels is to take a cholesterol blood test at your local pharmacy. Drop in anytime at any of our Anna Pharmacy branches in South London to get a cholesterol blood test in Croydon, Sutton, or Carshalton.
Some cholesterol tests require you to fast for 8 to 12 hours before you take the test. Your GP will advise you if you need to fast before you do your blood test for cholesterol in Carshalton or at any of our other locations.
To learn why fasting is needed before cholesterol blood tests, check out the article below.
Why is fasting required for a cholesterol test?
Basically, drinking or eating anything before you take a cholesterol test can affect the test results. When you consume food and drink beverages, excess cholesterol can enter your bloodstream and skew the cholesterol numbers.
If you don’t fast, you run the risk of receiving an incomplete picture of your overall cholesterol numbers, which include triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol. If you eat or drink before the test, only your total cholesterol levels and HDL cholesterol are usable.
What do I have to start fasting for my cholesterol test?
If you have to do a fasting cholesterol test, you may be wondering is any room for cheating here and there. What about a small glass of juice? A cup of tea? Unfortunately, to get accurate test results you are not supposed to consume anything before your cholesterol test to ensure you get accurate results.
There are some types of fasting—such as intermittent fasting—that allow you to drink tea or unsweetened coffee, cholesterol blood test fasting is different.
When is the ideal time to take a cholesterol test?
If you have to fast, it’s best to schedule your cholesterol test first thing in the morning, since you’ll already have fasted during the night. If you schedule your cholesterol test for 9 am, all you need to do is stop eating after 9 pm the night before.
What if I inadvertently eat or drink something?
If you slip up and drink or eat anything besides water, tell the clinician taking your blood. Your GP will need to know so they can interpret your test results correctly. For the most accurate results, they may ask you to reschedule.
When can I eat or drink again?
As soon as your cholesterol blood test is done, you can eat or drink whatever you want.
Anna Pharmacy provides a wide range of blood testing services, including cholesterol blood tests. You can see our full range of services at Anna Pharmacy. You can also schedule your fasting cholesterol test in Sutton, Croydon, or Carshalton online.