People ask many questions about blood tests, and the most common is, can vaccinations affect blood tests?
Regular blood tests are essential since they help you keep track of your overall physical well-being.
You need to do blood tests regularly to know how your body changes and make informed decisions about your health.
Normally, you don’t require any unique preparations for most blood tests. However, you may have to fast for some hours before particular tests. So,
Can Vaccinations Affect Blood Tests?
No, vaccines are usually put under the skin or muscle tissue, depending on the vaccine. While on the other hand, blood for tests is usually taken from the vein. The blood drawn from the veins usually doesn’t have traces of the vaccine, and thus the tests will be 100% fine.
What Do You Need For A Blood Test?
You’ve probably done several health-related tests and know how to prepare for them. Poor testing, sampling, and storage preparation can lead to false results.
Therefore, before visiting a laboratory for a test, you need to remember a few basic rules, which include:
1. Perform Tests in The Morning
The best time to perform blood tests is between 7:00 and 10:00 because the human body experiences variations depending on the time of day.
The human body secretes certain substances at specific times, so you should always perform the tests simultaneously.
But your doctor might ask you to take tests at other times of the day in case of urgent medical examinations.
2. Discontinue Some Medicines
If you’re talking about medicines or supplements, you should consult your physician before doing a blood test.
This is because medications or supplements usually have some influence on test results. For example, high doses of vitamin C will increase bilirubin levels and lower glucose levels.
3. Perform Tests on an Empty Stomach
Fasting means refraining from taking meals and fluids for about 12 hours before doing the blood test.
You shouldn’t take tea, coffee, or chew gums and avoid any sudden diet change in the name of fasting. The best thing to take is a small amount of non-carbonated water.
Consuming any calories before the blood test will affect the results because of an increase in cholesterol or glucose.
Caffeine also increases sugar levels, while a meal with too many sugars and fats can raise triglyceride levels.
4. Physical Effort
It’s best to avoid any intense workout a day before the blood test. This is because, after exercise, there’s usually an increased consumption of energy substances. Therefore, the level of triglycerides and glucose decreases.
Too much exercise before a test also leads to the elevation of parameters such as CPK level, LDH activity, and liver function tests.
In addition, you should also avoid standing for long hours in the same position. It leads to increased protein amounts in the urine.
5. Relax
You need to relax before doing a blood test; the best way is to stay seated for 15 minutes. When you stand for extended periods, fluids move from the vessels to intra-tract space, thickening the blood.
In laboratory tests, this means increased hematocrit and concentrations of cholesterol, protein, calcium, and magnesium. In addition, mental and physical stress can make the body release adrenaline.
6. Urine and Faeces Collection
You must collect urine and feces samples according to the physician or laboratory’s instructions. Incorrect sampling often leads to contamination by bacteria.
7. Alcohol and Cigarettes
Before going for a blood test, you should abstain from alcohol and cigarette usage, but you can use other stimulants.
You shouldn’t smoke at least one hour before blood sampling on the study day. Smoking cigarettes affect oxygen saturation in the blood, influencing the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin concentration.
On the other hand, alcohol consumption – even a small amount, can lead to increased GGTP and lipogram disorders. It will also affect liver function tests.
Types Of Laboratory Tests
These tests are done for various purposes, including screening for some genetic conditions, checking the health of specific organs, and diagnosing a condition. There are different types of blood tests, and this section lists some of the most common:
Blood Culture
This blood test type has a unique procedure; blood samples are taken from your arm’s veins or any other part. Nutrients that enable bacteria growth are then added to the blood samples. This helps to show if there are any bacteria in your blood.
Cancer Blood Tests
These blood tests help to diagnose certain cancers. The test can also help confirm whether you risk having specific cancer.
Chromosome Testing
This blood test examines the genetic materials known as chromosomes. Normally each cell needs to have 23 pairs of chromosomes. This test will look at the numbers and shapes which help detect genetic disabilities.
Through chromosome testing, you can learn if repeated miscarriages are chromosomal, diagnose DSD (differences in sex development), etc.
Blood Typing
This test is usually done on patients who need a blood transfusion or donate blood. Its role is to determine an individual’s blood group.
If a patient receives blood from a different blood group, this will prompt their immune system to attack the red blood cells. This can worsen the patient’s condition and even lead to death.
Blood typing test is also common among pregnant women. Sometimes, the mother’s and the unborn child’s blood types usually differ.
Therefore, the mother’s immune system fights the child’s blood cells (rhesus disease). The great part is that doctors can easily sort out this condition with just an injection.
Blood Glucose
These tests are to diagnose and monitor diabetes. It allows the physician to check your sugar level. These tests include:
- Glucose tolerance test
- Fasting glucose test
- HbA1C test
You can get glucose test kits from major pharmacies and perform the test from home. You’ll only need little blood from a needle prick.
Blood Gases Test
The physician or doctor will take the blood sample for this test from an artery at the wrist. It’s usually painful and is only done in the hospital.
The blood gas test checks the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the blood. Plus, determine the balance of alkali and acid in your blood.
Blood Cholesterol Test
Cholesterol is essential for the optimal functioning of the human body. It’s the liver that makes cholesterol from the different foods you take. You can also ingest cholesterol directly into your system.
However, high cholesterol levels increase the risks of serious problems like strokes and heart attacks.
The blood cholesterol test needs a simple blood test; the physician might ask you not to take anything 12 hours before the laboratory test. This ensures that all the food is entirely absorbed by the body, not affecting the results.
Coagulation Tests
The coagulation tests help to find out whether your blood clots normally. If you take longer than usual to clot after an injury, that may be a sign of a condition such as von Willebrand disease or hemophilia.
The International Normalized Ratio (INR) is a coagulation test that monitors the anticoagulant dose like warfarin, etc. It also helps check whether your dose is correct.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a cold affect blood tests?
Yes, a cold will decrease or increase certain cell levels, impacting your test results. Therefore, you should ensure you’re free from cold before doing a test.
Does vaccination affect PCR tests?
After vaccination, you won’t show up positive regarding the PCR test. The PCR test shows the virus genetic material copies, which tells you’re infected.
How long do antibodies stay in your system?
Antibodies will remain in your body for several months. However, there’s currently not enough evidence that shows how long antibodies can last.
What is not allowed before a blood test?
If your physician or doctor tells you not to eat anything before a blood test, you shouldn’t drink or eat anything except water. It’s because nutrients in those beverages and foods will enter your bloodstream.
How can I improve blood test results?
The ingredients and nutrients in the beverages and food you eat enter your bloodstream. This affects the factors measured by specific tests. Therefore, fasting can help improve the accuracy of those tests.
What virus affects blood cells?
Diseases that can lower your white blood cells include HIV/AIDs (a viral disease) and some cancers.
Conclusion
This article answers the question, can vaccinations affect blood tests? There are different types of vaccination; the most recent and popular on the list is the COVID-19 vaccine. They administer vaccines through different body parts depending on the vaccine.
Vaccines are uncommon to affect blood tests, but it’s best to inform your physician if you’ve had one. This way, they can guide you in adequately preparing for a blood test.
