Which tube is recommended for collecting samples for a fasting blood sugar test?

The recommended tube for collecting samples for a fasting blood sugar test is the gray tube. Gray-top tubes typically contain sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate, which help to preserve glucose levels in the sample by inhibiting glycolysis. This preservation is crucial for fasting blood sugar tests, as it ensures that the glucose measurement accurately reflects the patient's fasting state without any degradation of the glucose sample over time.

The other options, such as the orange tube, SST (Gold or Marble), and PST (Mint Green), are designed for different laboratory analyses and may not preserve glucose levels as effectively as the gray tube. The orange tube is often used for serum tests with rapid serum separator technology, while the SST and PST tubes are primarily used for various biochemical tests where plasma or serum is required but not specifically tailored for glucose preservation in fasting tests.