If you have ever been for a yearly check-up at your doctor or presented with symptoms other than what would be associated with the common cold then you have likely had a blood test done. Everyone gets blood tests done, from babies to the very old, and it is the most accurate way to test for almost any condition. But why are blood test labs so important and how do they offer advantages that a swab of saliva or a urine sample do not? Here is a brief look into why blood is the best indicator and why you should trust your doctor when they order them.

Genetic Preconditions

Your blood contains a wealth of information about your genetic code and is better than saliva or urine because it is more concentrated and less prone to contamination. If you think about it, your saliva can contain all sorts of sugars, salts, and other flavors that come from eating and drinking what you do in a day, and the same goes for your urine. Your blood is much more filtered and therefore more reliable when it comes to genetic testing and it is also easier to get a bigger sample than it is for saliva, especially since you can only spit so much at once. 

Blood Specific Disorders

While blood can provide information about genetic conditions and diseases that affect virtually all parts of your body, it also contains information about itself that few other samples would show. For example, your blood sugar and cell count, as well as the chemistry of your blood, so all the different chemical signifiers that are found in the blood such as glucose and cholesterol. Often it is more reliable to send a sample to blood test labs over alternatives simply because your blood needs to be tested on its own, in addition to all the other information it gives.

Accuracy on Another Level

While saliva tests may become more popular as they are non-invasive and quick to do, they do not have the same scope as blood tests do, nor are they as accurate. You may very well do a saliva or urine test first and then, if anything is found, your doctor will likely ask for a blood sample too, just to confirm. The easiest way to avoid all of this red tape is to just get a blood test first and make sure that you are getting accurate and reliable information from the very beginning. 

For more information, contact blood testing labs. 

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