Re: Fasting Blood Tests!
I had to do a 12 hour fast before my cholesterol test about a month ago.
I thought you could have black tea/coffee though, as long as there were no sweeteners?
This is from the NHS website:
Getting a cholesterol test
A blood sample is taken that will be used to determine the amount of bad cholesterol (low-density lipoprotein, or LDL), good cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, or HDL) and other fatty substances (triglycerides) in your blood.
You may be asked not to eat for 10 to 12 hours before the cholesterol test, usually including when you're asleep at night. This ensures that all food is completely digested and won't affect the outcome of the test.
Your GP or practice nurse can carry out the cholesterol test and will take a blood sample, either using a needle and a syringe or by pricking your finger.
A newer type of test that measures non-high-density lipoprotein (non-HDL) is now sometimes used because it's thought to be a more accurate way of estimating cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk than LDL.
Non-HDL cholesterol is total cholesterol minus HDL cholesterol. It's also not necessary to fast before the test, so it is more convenient.
And a bit more info:
It is generally required that you fast for 9 to 12 hours before a cholesterol blood test. Neither eating nor drinking anything but water before the test generally yields the most accurate results.
Although 1 small cup of black coffee shortly before having blood drawn will probably have little effect on the test results, always follow the pretest instructions because strict fasting may be particularly important in certain situations.