Donating blood is a great way to help others. Having more blood readily available allows countless lives to be saved and makes the jobs of hospitals much easier. However, some individuals can experience complications that make the process much longer than needed.
Some individuals may undergo nausea and dizziness once they have donated blood, which may lead to vomiting and fainting. These symptoms are especially common in individuals who are underweight or are giving their first donation. It’s important for blood donors to be at least 110 pounds since those who are under the requirement lose too much blood in one donation. In one donation, 470 mL of blood is collected, which is typically 8% of an adult’s total amount of blood. After donating, an individual should focus on consuming iron-rich foods to bring up their levels of iron in their blood, as they have just lost a significant portion of it.
There are some pros to donating blood, despite the possible side effects. In a study by The Journal of AABB, researchers found that donating blood contributes to a drop in blood pressure. Individuals with higher blood pressures, this can use this to their advantage. Additionally, since donating lowers the amount of iron in one’s body, people with hemochromatosis (or those with higher than normal iron levels) benefit from having their blood removed.
But what is blood even used for? An individual may donate whole blood, which consists of red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. The plasma portion can then be used for transfusion, for extensive processing into cryoprecipitate which is then used for transfusion, or for the base ingredient for developing plasma derivatives. In other donations, an individual may give blood through apheresis. This process involves a machine that separates blood into its different parts. In plateletpheresis, or platelet donation, the blood is gathered for its platelets. This is then used for patients who have difficulties in forming clots, as platelets are responsible for forming the protective layers over injuries once blood is exposed. However, any amount of platelets collected must be used within 5 days, as it is prone to sepsis. In double red cell donations, there is twice the amount of typical red blood cells that are collected. Red blood cells can be stored for up till 42 days until they must be used due to the materials found in the blood bag. In reality, red blood cells can last for 120 days without interferences. Red blood cells are meant for patients who have an extreme loss of blood or for individuals who have lower levels of hemoglobin, which is known as anemia. Lastly, with plasmapheresis, or plasma donation, the plasma of blood is isolated and given to patients who need to quickly stop the loss of blood, as plasma assists in rapid clotting and the prevention of infection by antibodies.
The blood type that is needed the most throughout the country is O negative, due to the fact that this type of blood may be given to everyone since it contains no antigens or the Rh factor. Despite this, individuals with any blood type are encouraged to donate since there is always a need for more blood to save more lives. It’s important to give as much blood as you can, but before you do, consider both the possible side effects and the personal benefits.
Citations:
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Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. “Why Donate Blood | Lifeblood.” Www.lifeblood.com.au, www.lifeblood.com.au/blood/learn-about-blood/why-donate-blood. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
“Donating Blood: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Procedure.” Www.medicalnewstoday.com, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319366#what-are-the-disadvantages-of-donating-blood. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Study HIV Transmission Through Blood and Blood Products, et al. “The U.S. Blood Supply System.” Nih.gov, National Academies Press (US), 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK232409/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Johnson, Jon. “How to Recover after Donating Blood.” Medicalnewstoday.com, Medical News Today, 9 June 2020, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-to-do-after-donating-blood#what-to-eat. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Kamhieh-Milz, Sundrela, et al. “Regular Blood Donation May Help in the Management of Hypertension: An Observational Study on 292 Blood Donors.” Transfusion, vol. 56, no. 3, 8 Dec. 2015, pp. 637–644, https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.13428. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
—. “Regular Blood Donation May Help in the Management of Hypertension: An Observational Study on 292 Blood Donors.” Transfusion, vol. 56, no. 3, 8 Dec. 2015, pp. 637–644, https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.13428. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Mayo Clinic. “Blood Donation – Mayo Clinic.” Mayoclinic.org, 30 Nov. 2023, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/blood-donation/about/pac-20385144. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Miles, Jeffrey, et al. “Storage Temperature Determines Platelet GPVI Levels and Function in Mice and Humans.” Blood Advances, vol. 5, no. 19, 7 Oct. 2021, pp. 3839–3849, https://doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2021004692. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Stanford Blood Center. “How Long Do Red Blood Cells Live? — Stanford Blood Center.” Stanford Blood Center, 13 Dec. 2010, stanfordbloodcenter.org/how_long_do_red/. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
Ullum, Henrik, et al. “Blood Donation and Blood Donor Mortality after Adjustment for a Healthy Donor Effect.” Transfusion, vol. 55, no. 10, 22 June 2015, pp. 2479–2485, https://doi.org/10.1111/trf.13205. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
“What Makes O Negative Blood the Universal Blood Type | Lifeblood.” Www.lifeblood.com.au, www.lifeblood.com.au/news-and-stories/vital-reads/school-of-lifeblood-donating-101/what-makes-o-negative-blood-universal-blood-type. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.
“Who Can Give Blood?” Ucsfbenioffchildrens.org, www.ucsfbenioffchildrens.org/education/who-can-donate-blood. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.