Did you know? Some small habits before a health checkup can affect the accuracy of your test results. "Over-limit" and "abnormal" findings on your report might be caused by that drink you sneaked in or those late nights you stayed up.
The Impact of Alcohol Consumption
Thinking of having a drink before your checkup? Be cautious—this could make your test results go completely out of range! Here are a few key tests most affected by alcohol:
1. Liver Function Abnormalities — Alcohol Triggers "Liver Alarm"
After drinking, alcohol is metabolized by the liver, which can temporarily elevate liver function indicators such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).
Long-term drinking is even more concerning, as it can lead to fatty liver disease or even alcoholic hepatitis.
2. Blood Lipids Spike — Fats "Roam Freely"
Alcohol, especially beer and spirits, stimulates the elevation of triglycerides. Blood lipid levels detected within 12 hours of drinking may be significantly higher than usual.
3. Elevated Uric Acid — Increased Risk of Gout
Alcohol, particularly beer, contains high levels of purines, which can cause an increase in uric acid levels. After a drinking session, your checkup report may show high uric acid levels, raising the concern for gout.
The Impact of Staying Up Late
Staying up late not only leads to dull skin and fatigue but also makes your health checkup results "less reliable."
1. Blood Sugar Fluctuations — Nighttime Becomes the "Troublemaker"
Chronic late nights can trigger stress responses in the body, leading to higher fasting blood glucose levels. Studies have shown that insufficient sleep is closely linked to an increased risk of insulin resistance.
If you have a checkup after staying up late, you might be "misdiagnosed" as being prediabetic.
2. Irregular Blood Pressure — Cardiovascular Data is "Unfaithful"
Staying up late causes continuous sympathetic nervous system activation, which can cause blood pressure readings to be 10-20 mmHg higher than usual during the checkup.
Temporary increases in blood pressure may not indicate true hypertension, but a "high blood pressure" report is enough to cause concern.
3. Decreased Immunity — Abnormal Blood Routine
Staying up late suppresses immune function, leading to abnormal white blood cell counts (either elevated or decreased). If your test shows "low white blood cells," don’t worry too much about infections—consider whether you stayed up late binge-watching a series.
How to Avoid "False Abnormalities" in Your Checkup Report
●No Alcohol One Week Before the Checkup
The effects of alcohol on various test indicators can last for several days, or even longer. To avoid errors, its recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol at least 3 days before the checkup.
●Ensure Adequate Sleep
Try to go to bed before 10 p.m. the night before the checkup to ensure 7-8 hours of sleep. This will help avoid affecting crucial data such as blood sugar and blood pressure.
●Follow the Fasting Rule
Not only does alcohol affect test results, but greasy or high-sugar foods can also interfere with blood lipids and blood glucose. Follow the doctor’s advice and avoid eating for at least 8 hours before the checkup.
●Adjust Lifestyle Habits in Advance
If you have a health checkup coming up soon, try to return to your usual routine and diet. Avoid extreme situations like overeating or excessive exercise to ensure more accurate results.
Hospital Health Management Center
The Hospital Health Management Center, relying on Hainan Provincial Tumor Hospital and Hainan Chengmei Hospital, with the purpose of implementing the “Healthy China” strategy, expanding the connotation and extension of traditional physical examination business, and transforming and extending from disease treatment to health management, develops its health management services with the commitment to creating the most professional health management service center. Taking “Providing Professional, Authoritative, Customized and Exclusive Services to Guard Your Health” as its service tenet, the center establishes a set of professional, refined, and standardized service processes in accordance with the medical care system for central leaders, providing professional services for high-end individuals such as provincial and ministerial leaders, foreign VIPs, business elites, and celebrities.
content is for health education purposes only
It is not intended for clinical diagnosis or medical advice
If there are any infringements or violations related to text or images
Please inform us promptly of the removal
Editor | Huang Fei