The general recommendation for fasting before a lipid panel is to fast for about 8 to 12 hours. This means not eating or drinking anything except water during that time before the blood draw. The fasting helps give a more accurate measurement of triglycerides and LDL cholesterol. However, fasting is not always necessary for everyone. For most people with normal triglyceride levels, non-fasting lipid panels can still provide useful information for cholesterol assessment. But if a person has had high triglycerides previously or risks associated with it, fasting is advised for a more precise reading. In summary:

• Typical fasting duration: 8 to 12 hours before the lipid panel test.
• Water is allowed during fasting.
• Fasting is more critical if triglycerides are expected to be high.
• Some guidelines and labs may accept non-fasting lipid panels but fasting is standard for accuracy.

This fasting duration is why many lipid panel blood tests are done early in the morning after an overnight fast.