Fasted 13 hours instead of 8-12 for a blood sugar test: Does it matter?
Factors such as age, medications, stress, sleep quality, physical activity, and overall metabolic health can also affect the final reading, noted Dr Vijay Negalur, HoD, diabetology KIMS Hospitals Thane
Is there a difference? (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock) Will a 13-hour fast affect your blood sugar test results? Answering this Quora query, “I did my blood sugar test for 13 hours of fasting, whereas my doctor had told me to fast for 8-12 hours. Does it affect my test?”, Dr Vijay Negalur, HoD, diabetology, KIMS Hospitals Thane, noted that fasting longer than the recommended duration can sometimes affect blood sugar readings. However, the impact is usually slight for most people.
“For fasting blood sugar tests, an overnight fast of 8 to 12 hours is typically advised because it creates a standard window to evaluate how the body manages glucose without food. When the fasting period extends beyond this range, the body activates its natural energy-maintenance systems. In response, the liver may release stored glucose into the bloodstream to maintain energy, especially for vital organs like the brain,” said Dr Negalur.
Can longer hours of fasting affect your readings? (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Here’s what the query stated (Photo: Quora)
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