The war is also managing our blood test markers. Even if your diet has not changed at all, and even if you are even more careful these days, your blood tests may show something different - higher sugar, increased cholesterol and certain vitamins showing a decrease.
The reason for such blood test results does not necessarily have to do with what you eat, even if you are very strict. Stress, which we are experiencing these days, has a significant effect on these markers.
Blood sugar levels have risen
One of the most sensitive indicators to stress is sugar (glucose). During stress, the body secretes hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, whose purpose is to flood the blood with available energy so that we can supposedly "fight or flee".
The problem is that in chronic stress, like what we are experiencing mainly in recent weeks, cortisol remains elevated for a long time. It causes the liver to produce more sugar, and at the same time causes our cells to not respond to insulin (insulin resistance).
Will this resolve on its own after the war ends?
It is definitely possible. In healthy people, this is a phenomenon called "Stress Hyperglycemia" meaning it is only a temporary increase.
There have been studies showing that once the stress level drops, fasting sugar tends to return to baseline values within just a few days.
Still, there is a warning sign here: If the high sugar caused an increase in the HbA1c marker (average sugar over 3 months) - this marker does not drop on its own quickly, and dietary changes may be needed to prevent it from becoming permanent prediabetes.
Thyroid activity has decreased
During stress, the body slows down thyroid activity, supposedly in order to conserve energy.
Sometimes this can appear in tests like "hypothyroidism" (low T3), but in fact this is a temporary state and does not indicate a disease of the gland, but rather a protective response of the body.
Does it resolve on its own?
Yes. If this happened because of stress, once the load decreases, the gland usually returns to full function.
Bad cholesterol levels have risen
Research in this field is clear: Stress directly affects lipid profiles, meaning it increases cholesterol and also triglycerides (sometimes shown in TG tests).
Cortisol, mentioned earlier, also breaks down fats, and then the liver uses them to produce more cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. It is not related to what you ate, it is a hormonal mechanism.
What happens after the war ends?
Here we divide the answer according to blood lipid types:
Triglycerides are a highly variable marker - they can drop relatively quickly once the body calms down.
But LDL "bad" cholesterol is a bit more stubborn. If stress is prolonged, and plaque is formed in the arteries during stress, it will not disappear on its own. In this case, a combination of physical activity and proper nutrition is critical.
Stop eating eggs and yellow cheese?
When cholesterol rises in tests, the automatic reaction of many is to remove eggs and yellow cheese from the diet.
It is important to note the new direction of research: Global trends and updated guidelines have long stopped marking dietary cholesterol as the main enemy.
Today we know that what increases the risk of heart disease is not necessarily the egg, but the combination of simple carbohydrates (sugar, white flour) with processed vegetable fats (trans fats and refined oils).
The new food pyramid says that inflammation in blood vessels is actually also caused by excess sugar and stress, and it is what causes cholesterol to "get stuck" in the arteries and form plaque.
So even in a stressful period like now, attention should not be on an omelet or a slice of yellow cheese (which provide important protein and calcium), but more on sweet snacks and empty carbohydrates.
These are precisely what are considered "comfort" for stress, but they are exactly what trigger the process of atherosclerosis and artery calcification, much more than any other nutritional component.
What really causes the increase in cholesterol?
Blood iron levels have risen
Ferritin (iron stores) can also change in blood tests during stress.
Ferritin is an iron-binding protein that responds to inflammatory and stress states. During a stressful period it can rise and appear high, not because we have excess iron, but because the body is in a supposedly inflammatory state.
So do not panic, just know that it may be related to our emotional state at the time of the test.
<br>Magnesium levels in the blood have decreased
Another effect of stress we did not think about - magnesium. Magnesium is the "relaxation mineral", and during stress the body consumes it in huge amounts.
Stress hormones cause magnesium to leave the cells and sometimes it is excreted in urine.
Blood tests are not affected, but there are more cramps: Here it is very important to note: In regular blood tests magnesium may appear completely normal, because the body "steals" magnesium from the bones (not the blood) in order to maintain a stable blood level.
So if you suffer from muscle cramps, sleep disturbances or increased anxiety, the recommendation is: Do not wait for a blood test, you probably need a supplement.
What to do? Practical recommendations
So we understand that stress is coloring our test results “red.” What now?
1. Do not rush into medications: If you discovered a slight abnormality in your values recently, it is worth speaking with your doctor about the option of waiting one to two months, trying to reduce stress, and repeating the tests once things calm down.
2. Physical activity is the best medicine available: It is impossible to overstate the importance of physical activity, especially these days, even if it is done at home. Physical activity is the most effective way to lower blood sugar (by improving insulin sensitivity) and clear stress hormones from the system.
3. Supplements: In cases of chronic stress, it is worth considering supplementation with high-quality magnesium or even vitamin D, whose stores are depleted especially quickly during such a period.