Commonly referred to as “blood sugar tests,” glucose tests often require fasting beforehand to ensure accurate results. Your doctor could order glucose tests if you are a new patient or to evaluate how your body tolerates insulin based on your family history and symptoms. 

Blood glucose testing is commonly used to evaluate how the body manages sugar and identify potential metabolic issues. One of the most common questions patients have is whether fasting is required—and what results are considered normal. Understanding how fasting and non-fasting glucose tests differ can help you interpret results more accurately and know what to expect before testing.

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For adults, cholesterol tests, also known as a lipid panel, are commonly carried out as the result of a new patient intake procedure or as a regular routine every three or five years. Cholesterol tests come with an order from your doctor to fast for 8-12 hours beforehand, but many patients wonder about the definition of fasting. A common question among avid caffeine consumers on the morning of their visit is: can I drink black coffee before a cholesterol test?

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Practitioners have long prescribed a fast of 8-12 hours before a lipid panel, also known as a cholesterol test. Indeed, most doctors who have practiced for over 10-15 years will still require fasting to prevent the results of the test from being affected by the patient’s metabolic processes. However, more recent research suggests that lipid panel fasting vs non-fasting results are more complexly indicated depending on the situation.

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