Is donating blood beneficial for a man? Is it good for men to donate blood?
If you think that donating blood is harmful, then this article is for you. Bleeding is a process to which the body has evolved to adapt during fights and wars. For a healthy person, the loss of a standard dose of blood, which is equal to 450 ml, in no way affects physiological functions or well-being. Moreover, bloodletting has a healing effect. In addition, now in order to donate blood, you need to undergo a thorough medical examination, and the doctor will tell you in detail how to donate blood correctly and will not allow even the slightest risk to your health, since the state cares about the safety of donors and patients.
Nowadays, many potential donors are interested in the question: is it useful to donate blood?
The benefit of donation for the body is that blood donation prevents cardiovascular diseases, diseases of the immune system, pancreas, atherosclerosis, digestive disorders and develops resistance to blood loss during accidents, operations, burns or accidents. Also, donation can remove ballast from the body in the form of excess blood and its elements, prolong your youth by stimulating bleeding and self-renewal of the body and, of course, bring considerable satisfaction from the good deed you have accomplished. Do you still doubt whether donating blood is beneficial?
Donation activates the bleeding system - red bone marrow cells, and improves immunity. The body is affected by the unloading of the spleen and liver, and according to the latest data, the risk of developing atherosclerosis, thrombosis and coronary heart disease is reduced. Finnish scientists claim that men who donate blood have a tenfold reduction in the risk of heart attack, and American researchers report that male donors are much less likely to suffer from heart attacks. Regular bleeding keeps cholesterol levels low.
When donating blood, all so-called “storage diseases” are prevented, which include gout, digestive and pancreatic disorders, as well as diseases of the basal metabolism and liver. Blood donations are also useful for preventive purposes.
If you're still wondering if donating blood is healthy, remember that donors who donate consistently are some of the healthiest people in the world! According to WHO, donors live 5 years longer than the average person.
Blood donors do not have to worry about their health, since absolutely all procedures are performed using disposable sterile systems under the supervision of a physician.
A capable person who has reached the age of 18, has undergone a medical examination and has permanent registration can become a donor. He is entitled to two days off, one of which falls on the day of blood donation, and the second at the donor’s choice, determination of the blood type, blood test, blood test for diseases such as HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B and C, as well as a doctor’s examination.
Infection of the donor is absolutely excluded, since doctors use individual disposable systems for blood collection, and the sensation of blood donation is purely individual, but most donors experience absolutely no pain. Some people feel a surge of energy and a desire to work, and absolutely everyone feels a lot of positive emotions from the fact that they helped save a life!
Within 30-40 days, the blood composition is completely restored. The blood donation process is absolutely safe and does not cause any harm to the body. To ensure complete safety, the donor’s blood is quarantined and after six months the donor must undergo a re-examination, based on the results of which the blood is supplied to city hospitals. So do you think donating blood is beneficial?
Regular checking for infections
If you often provide yourself as a blood donor, then before each collection of material your blood is checked for the presence of infections. This allows the donor to constantly monitor his own health, and if abnormalities are detected, begin treatment immediately. Most people do not have this opportunity because they rarely go to the hospital for tests, so they learn about their ailments only when the disease manifests itself on a physical level and progresses. This is one of the positive aspects that shows why being a donor is useful. But that’s not all; by donating blood, a person literally heals his body.
What benefits does donation bring to the health of the body?
It is believed that bloodletting has a healing effect if performed in small volumes. When a volunteer donates his blood to a patient, he gives away about 450 grams of life-saving fluid. A loss of such volume is insignificant and cannot harm the donor in any way.
Donating blood allows you to accustom your body to small blood losses. If some situation arises, for example, an accident or a serious operation, the body of a person who has repeatedly donated blood will find itself in a familiar situation. It activates processes that allow you to quickly replenish the lost volume of red blood cells.
Small blood losses contribute to the rejuvenation of the body, its self-cleaning and cell renewal. This process gives the liver the opportunity to rest a little, which usually processes used red blood cells. The bone marrow, on the other hand, works hard to produce new blood cells to replace what is lost. Moderate blood loss also has a good effect on the cardiovascular system.
Donating blood is a little stress for the donor’s body, thanks to which its protective functions are activated. The immune system comes into “combat readiness”, thanks to which donors are less likely to suffer from colds and viral diseases.
According to American doctors, people who donate blood regularly are less susceptible to developing atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, since their veins are constantly cleared of excess bad cholesterol. According to several studies, donation prolongs life by at least 5 years.
Donating blood is also useful from a psychological point of view. Helping others gives you joy and satisfaction, and every person needs such emotions. They are known to promote good health. Well, for the patient who needs your blood, the benefit is obvious - you will save his life.
Rules for donating blood
If you want to participate in the donation program, you should familiarize yourself with the rules, recommendations and restrictions in this regard. Anyone over the age of 18 who does not have infectious diseases can become a donor. The upper age limit was recently removed, so even people over 60 years of age, provided they are in good health, can become blood or plasma donors. The volunteer’s weight should not be less than 50 kg, however, persons in this weight category can become donors in the absence of contraindications. No more than 300 ml of blood is taken from such people.
Men can donate blood no more than 5 times a year, while women are allowed to do this 4 times within 12 months. Women should not donate blood more often. This restriction makes sense for them because their bodies lose a small amount of blood each month during menstruation. The interval between fences should be at least two months. During this time, the body of a healthy person is completely restored.
Preparation for collecting blood or its fractions includes a complete healthy diet (refusal of fatty foods, smoked, fried foods) for 2-3 days before the procedure. During this period, you should not take any medications, and also abstain from alcohol. Immediately before the procedure, the donor is examined and tested for various infections. If everything is in order, the person is allowed to undergo this procedure and is allowed to become a donor. After the procedure, the donor is advised to rest. You cannot engage in heavy physical labor or travel long distances. During the recovery period, it is advisable to include beef liver, pomegranate, and cranberries in the diet.
Donating blood is not only a useful, but an honorable procedure that allows you to do good unselfishly to other people, giving them a piece of yourself so that they can live. For such actions, the state rewards donors who have undergone this procedure more than 40 times in their lives with benefits and annual payments, provides them with additional time off and vouchers to a sanatorium.
The harms and benefits of donating blood
There is no clear answer to the question of what are the harms and benefits of donating blood. Therefore, adhere to the rule that everything is good in moderation. Of course, you do not need to donate blood on days when you are sick or feel unwell. It is also not recommended to donate blood more often than once every 60 days, and plasma - more often than once every 2 weeks. In general, you can donate blood 3-5 times a year, and plasma 6-12 times. The rest of the time the body should have the opportunity to recover.Any person over 18 years of age who is in good health and physically able to donate blood without harming their own body can become a donor. The standard amount of blood that can be taken from a healthy person without affecting his well-being and physiological functions is 450 ml.
Before donating blood, you will be thoroughly examined by a doctor who will confirm that the process is safe for the donor. In general, humans are evolutionarily adapted to blood donation, although previously this was encountered only during injuries and therapeutic bloodletting. In addition, bloodletting in moderate doses has a very positive effect on the human body and makes it healthier.
Benefits of donating blood:
*decrease in the amount of iron contained in the blood.
* prevention of the condition of the body, it becomes more resistant to blood loss in possible accidents, injuries, burns, severe operations and other cases.
* prolongation of the body's youth due to stimulation of hematopoiesis, as well as promoting self-renewal of the human body.
* prevention of various cardiovascular diseases.
*prevention of diseases of the immune system, as well as various disorders of the digestive system, liver, and pancreas.
* prevention of atherosclerosis.
*removing excess blood and substances contained in it from the body.
* blood pressure correction.
*for women before menopause, donating blood prolongs youth.
* receiving moral satisfaction from doing a good deed.
* the donor has the right to the benefit of receiving two days off from work (one on the day of blood donation, and the second on any other day).
* honorary donors, that is, those who have donated blood 40 times or plasma 60 times, are entitled to a monthly allowance, as well as some other benefits.
When donating blood, the hematopoietic system (red bone marrow cells) is activated and immune defense improves. Those organs that are involved in the process of removing dead red blood cells from the body are “unloaded,” namely the spleen and liver.
Recent data from American and Finnish scientists indicate that with periodic blood donation, the overall risk of developing coronary artery disease, thrombosis and atherosclerosis decreases tenfold.
Male donors are much less susceptible to heart attacks, they suffer fewer heart attacks, and their blood cholesterol levels are kept low.
Interesting fact: if a woman donates plasma before planning a pregnancy, the baby will be a girl, and if a man donates plasma, it will be a boy.
Donors who regularly donate blood are the healthiest people on the planet; according to WHO, they live 5 years longer than the average person.
Don’t be afraid to donate blood, because the donor’s blood is necessarily checked for infections before donation. If any infections are detected in the blood, the donor is offered a course of free examinations, as well as treatment if necessary. Also, the editors of the website www.rasteniya-lecarstvennie.ru and I want to assure readers that
harm from donating blood
cannot be applied to the donor during the collection process itself, because all systems for this have long been disposable.After treatment, the donor does not have the right to donate blood for another 6 months. But even after quarantine, blood will need to be tested again, as new infections may be detected.
And remember that your blood can save someone's life. Maybe to your acquaintance, friend, and maybe to you. After all, no one is safe from misfortune.
Question for doctors: how harmful is it to donate blood? and is it harmful at all if I have a strong body?
Alexandra
It is not harmful to a healthy person.
I donate blood regularly, and I don’t find any downsides to my health.
“For a healthy person, the procedure for donating plasma is absolutely safe, harmless and, moreover, useful. According to WHO, blood donors who constantly give blood/plasma live on average 5 years longer than the average person” (http://rosplazma.ru/question /).
By the way, you can ask questions directly to doctors - for example, in the “Specialists Answer You” section of the website transfusion.ru.
Eva Shlykova
I am not a doctor, but I know that this is useful due to the fact that the blood is renewed, becomes “cleaner”, and due to this all internal organs work better. But at the same time, you need to eat very well so that hemoglobin and other things return to normal. Even in ancient times, when there was no real medicine, almost all diseases were treated with bloodletting.
Lyudmila Falko
I was working in a hospital, one day an aunt came in, she was ugly, she used to be a donor for many years, she said: “At least do some bloodletting...” - it’s so scary... like a drug addict, she probably feels bad “without this business!”
Who am I here?
I donated blood for a long time.
since 2000 Honorary donor.
I donated a total of 24 liters.
I donated it for free, because I was convinced of the need for donation.
There were no negative effects on the body.
Is donating blood harmful or beneficial?
Alexandra
About bruises. They usually don’t happen if you don’t remove the bandage ahead of time (I wear a tight bandage for at least 3 hours). But if a bruise has already appeared, hepatrombin or troxevasin will quickly help.
About donation. According to American researchers, donors are ten times less likely to suffer heart attacks. Regular blood donation keeps cholesterol levels low.
Donating blood is useful for the prevention of all “storage diseases” - atherosclerosis, gout, digestive disorders, pancreas, liver, and basal metabolism. And for the prevention of diseases of the immune system, blood donations are useful: after all, this is also associated with the renewal of the body. In scientifically proven doses, bloodletting has a stimulating effect.
Donation is useful for preventing blood loss: in the event of an accident, a wounded donor has a much greater chance of survival.
Probably, there is no need to say much about the benefits of medical examination - you must agree that people usually do not pay preventive visits to doctors every 2 months. At each visit, the donor undergoes an in-depth examination (and quickly and free of charge).
I also consider increased self-esteem and emotional uplift from a good deed to be a plus for health :-)).
You can read about donation on my blog. Welcome!
You can ask questions about health on the website of the Russian Blood Service http://www.transfusion.ru/answer/theme.php.
User deleted
I needed to donate blood for my daughter. They didn’t take it from me, they said that I needed to infuse the blood myself. I think that this is not useful for everyone, but it is noble... And the bruise was caused by the unprofessionalism of the medical staff or your friend immediately threw away the cotton wool and did not keep his arm bent after drawing blood.
Is donating blood harmful to the body?
Ben Zvi-Ari
“Not all yoghurts are equally healthy!” (c)
My other half (also a medical luminary of the highest category) strongly advises me not to donate blood.
Also, by the way, she does not favor flu vaccinations.
Julia E.
Donating blood is even useful, at least that’s what doctors think. Back in the Middle Ages, bloodletting was used to treat many diseases. For some conditions it is still used today. Bloodletting is useful for hypertension and for women in menopause. It is also useful for men, as it adapts the body to possible blood loss, injuries or stomach ulcers.
Regular blood donation triggers self-renewal processes in the body. Numerous studies have shown that donating blood helps prevent cardiovascular diseases. In men who donate blood regularly, the risk of having a heart attack is reduced several times.
So think about whether donating blood is harmful or beneficial. We think not. In addition, you get moral satisfaction from donating blood because you help people, which guarantees a good mood for a long time.
Yuri Viktorovich Vedeneev
Donating blood is not harmful. The human body is evolutionarily adapted to bloodletting: this is a universal reaction mechanism in case of injury, and in women, in general, it is part of the functioning of the body.
Exiled to planet Earth
I took it myself at one time... and no one thought it was useful... .
Blood is renewed in the human body every 4 years, and blood donation, i.e. blood loss, provokes it to start the process of producing new red blood cells, thereby disrupting normal functioning... .
Only one-time donations of blood at large intervals of time can be harmless, since nature, too, in the process of evolution, took care of this using examples of injuries with large blood loss....
Alas!!! Frequent and regular blood donation leads to the body adapting to the constant replenishment of blood.
If you fail to donate blood, after a certain period of time the person will experience headaches and blood pressure.
Roughly speaking, this unpleasant malaise begins. People who were once donors themselves repented that they were too keen on bloodshed.
Alexandra
It is not harmful for a healthy body.
According to foreign researchers, donors are ten times less likely to suffer heart attacks. Regular blood donation keeps cholesterol levels low.
Donating blood is useful for the prevention of all “storage diseases” - atherosclerosis, gout, digestive disorders, pancreas, liver, and basal metabolism. And for the prevention of diseases of the immune system, blood donations are useful: after all, this is also associated with the renewal of the body. In scientifically proven doses, bloodletting has a stimulating effect.
Donation is useful for preventing blood loss: in the event of an accident, a wounded donor has a much greater chance of survival.
Probably, there is no need to say much about the benefits of clinical examination - you must agree that people usually do not pay preventive visits to doctors every 2-3 months. The donor undergoes an examination at each visit (and quickly and free of charge).
I also consider increased self-esteem and emotional uplift from doing a good deed to be a health benefit.
Is it harmful to donate blood to women and how does it manifest itself?...
Elena N
On the contrary, there are even medical indications for donating blood. Bloodletting is useful for people with high blood pressure and women during menopause. The fact that, from the Middle Ages until our century, many diseases were treated with bloodletting is also in favor of donating blood. Nowadays, hirudotherapy (treatment with leeches), which is essentially the same bloodletting that benefits the body, is widely promoted.
Regular blood donations are also useful because they train the compensatory mechanism of the human body.
According to WHO, blood donors who constantly give blood live on average 5 years longer than the average person.
As an example, I can give one case where donation saved a man’s life. Due to a sudden gastric hemorrhage, an elderly man, an honorary donor, lost a lot of blood. The man had virtually no chance of survival, experienced doctors assured, if not for many years of donation. Accustomed to regular blood loss, the body quickly mobilized its strength. The same compensatory mechanism turned on. The patient soon recovered.
There is no clear answer to this question. Here we must adhere to the rule that everything is good in moderation. That is, you should not strive to donate blood if you feel unwell. And you should not try to donate blood more often than recommended (the break for donating blood is at least 60 days, for donating plasma at least 2 weeks). You can also donate blood no more than 3-5 times a year so that the body has time to recover. And plasma can be donated 6-12 times a year.
Previously, you could be a donor between the ages of 18 and 60. Now the upper limit for donation has been removed (subject to good health and no contraindications).
When donating plasma, your blood is taken and separated plasma, and then the blood is poured back into you. When you donate blood, 450 ml of blood is taken from you.
The donor brings double benefit - both to himself and to the person to whom his blood is transfused. Elevated levels of iron in the blood are harmful. And blood loss reduces iron content.
People who regularly donate blood suffer from a heart attack ten times less often than those who do not donate blood (research conducted in Finland). Men who donate blood are 30% less likely to suffer from heart attacks (research conducted in America). That is, blood donations are useful for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. After donating blood, the body receives an impulse to renew itself.
Other benefits of donating blood:
The body's resistance to blood loss in case of accidents.
Stimulation of hematopoiesis and renewal of the body . Thereby prolonging youth.
Prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Prevention of immune system diseases , digestive system, pancreas, liver and atherosclerosis.
Unloading of organs (spleen, liver) when removing excess blood from the body.
Donors who regularly donate blood live on average 5-8 years longer the average person.
Blood donation and plasma donation contribute to the correction of blood pressure.
For men, donation is especially useful at the age of 40-55 years (saves from heart problems).
For women before menopause, donating blood helps prolong youth .
There is also evidence that in women, donating plasma before planning pregnancy contributes to the birth of a girl, and in men, a boy.
The donor's blood is checked for infections. That's why the donor can be calm about his health. If the tests are “bad”, the donor will be informed about this and will be offered additional free examinations and treatment if necessary. The blood undergoes a 6-month quarantine, after which previously undetected infections can also be detected.
Donors have benefits – provision of two days off (one on the day of blood donation, the other on any convenient day).
Honorary Donors(who donated blood 40 times or plasma 60 times) receive a monthly allowance and have other benefits.
Donation is a controversial issue that causes heated discussion in different circles. Some consider this a noble act that saves lives, while others are categorically against the procedure. According to doctors, is it useful to donate blood? How does this procedure affect a person’s well-being? What should those planning to become a donor consider?
Does this procedure seriously harm the body?
There is heated debate about whether donating blood is harmful. Driving boards cannot determine whether it is worth agreeing to mark the donation and transfusion in the event of a serious accident.
If we talk only about the health of the donor, then donating biomaterial is considered a safe procedure. An exception may be cases when the event is not carried out according to the rules, too often, or too much biological fluid is taken.
Taking a large volume leads to bad consequences
Donating blood is harmful if more than 500 ml of donor fluid is taken from a person at a time. In this case, the procedure can have a negative effect on the body.
When asked whether it is beneficial for women to donate blood, the answer is ambiguous. It is important to consider several nuances. It is worth noting that the law regulates the frequency of blood fluid donation. A woman should not agree to this procedure more than four times a year.
Is it beneficial for men to donate blood? In order not to cause damage to the body, it is important not to allow biomaterial to be taken more than 5 times a year and to donate no more than 400-450 ml of volume at a time.
When does recovery occur?
Some people do not know whether it is possible to donate blood and how such a procedure affects their well-being. Although a person sometimes feels noticeably weak and tired in the first few hours or even days, this condition soon passes. What is this connected with?
The body of any person is capable of recovery. If no more than 450 ml is taken at a time, this volume is replenished in approximately 2-4 weeks. For the procedure, biomaterial is taken from a vein.
It is important to get proper rest for recovery. Important! Those visiting the blood collection point for the first time should not donate more than 200 ml of blood fluid.
Precautionary measures
Before determining whether donating blood is beneficial for the body, it is important to consider some pitfalls and understand when to be careful with such a procedure.
If you agree to take biomaterial when the procedure is contraindicated, you can cause serious harm to your health. Donating blood: good or bad? It all depends on the person’s health status before the procedure.
Donating donor biomaterial is contraindicated in the following situations:
If a person wishing to donate blood has recently taken large quantities of alcohol or has been abusing it for a long time, they should refuse the procedure. If hepatitis is suspected, the donor fluid becomes a source of infection for the future recipient.
Important! In recent years, infection with the hepatitis virus often occurs through donated blood. There is no laboratory equipment capable of 100% accurately determining the absence of this virus. The risk of infection can be reduced to zero only if there is no transfusion of human blood or plasma.
No one guarantees the safety of donor material If a woman has begun menopause, it is also better not to donate biomaterial. Why? During this period, her body is weakened, so some negative process may be triggered by the depletion of protective forces caused by donating blood.
A cold is another contraindication to manipulation. Athletes should approach the process with caution. Of course, they can donate biomaterial. However, after this you will not be able to withstand high physical activity for some time.
Any colds are considered a contraindication. As long as a person is sick, there is a constant risk of transmission of infection through the blood to the recipient.
Important! It is dangerous to donate blood on an empty stomach. In the morning you should have a hearty breakfast, and the day before you should follow a strict diet.
Allergy sufferers should also be careful. Specific antibodies can be transmitted through blood. As a result, what was an allergen for the donor will affect the well-being of the recipient.
Iron deficiency is also considered a contraindication to collecting biomaterial for donation. A person already lacks the formation of new red blood cells, which is why anemia develops. Taking blood can only make you feel worse.
Other contraindications
There are other situations when the procedure is prohibited. Is it necessary to donate blood, and why do it? Sometimes the cause of infection with serious diseases lies in the entry of the pathogen into the body through donor blood. Even a healthy person may not suspect that he is a carrier of severe infections. No one can predict whether this blood will become life or a fatal disease for someone.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women do not donate blood Pregnancy is considered a separate contraindication. The procedure is not performed in the first, second or third trimester. If screening does not show pathologies, blood sampling is still contraindicated. At this time, a woman should think about the well-being of her unborn child, and not about donating biomaterial. During the period of breastfeeding, such manipulations should also be avoided.
Even those who previously tolerated blood sampling well may sooner or later experience complications. For example, men may notice that after the procedure, potency decreases for some time.
Advantages
At the same time, the procedure is practically painless. The injection made when taking blood fluid is no more painful than a regular mosquito bite. According to some doctors, taking donor blood fluid is a good prevention against certain diseases of the hematopoietic organs.
The advantages include the fact that various fractions are prepared from several grams of donor blood, isolating proteins that can fight various diseases, for example, immunoglobulins.
You can learn more about the benefits and harms of donation from the video:
More:
Who is allowed and who is not allowed to donate blood, what are the reasons for the prohibitions?
I decided to figure it out Is blood donation beneficial or harmful?, since I am an active donor, donated blood for donation 5 times already, in just over a year. I always thought that this was only for my benefit. The first donation of donor blood was very easy, there were no negative consequences, no dizziness, no weakness. I also easily tolerated donating blood the next 3 times, and on the 5th time I felt a little weak the next day after donation and even had to sleep for a couple of hours during the day (fortunately, after donating blood they give two days of rest from work), although immediately after donation, as usual I felt great. This worried me a little, and I decided to look on RuNet about the benefits or harms of blood donation for the body. And what’s surprising is that I didn’t find specific and reliable materials, I had to go looking on foreign sites, and now I can present the results of my research to my readers.
I conducted a serious search of medical research available on PABMED, as well as other open sources, and found out how useful it is to donate blood or whether it is harmful to the body, I am glad to present my research to the readers further.
Is blood donation good for preventing heart disease?
It is known that one of the complex risk factors for cardiovascular diseases is blood viscosity. When thick and viscous, excess friction against the blood vessels is created, blood circulation worsens and the so-called hemodynamics of the blood decreases. This, in turn, increases the risk of blood clots forming in blood vessels, and blood clots, clogging blood vessels, can lead to various pathologies and even sudden cardiac arrest and sudden death. Blood viscosity can be reduced by regularly donating blood. When you donate blood, you reduce the level of iron in the blood, which causes oxidative stress, which is also detrimental to the cardiovascular system. Blood donation reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In the study, published V Journal of the American Medical Association Scientists found that people between the ages of 43 and 61 who gave blood twice a year had fewer heart attacks and strokes. In the study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, scientists described that of 2,682 men in Finland, who took Participating in the study, the risk of heart attacks was reduced by 88 percent among those who donated blood at least once a year.
Is blood donation useful for reducing the risk of cancer?
Reducing the amount of iron in your blood when donating blood may reduce your risk of cancer, according to a 4.5-year study of 1,200 people, published in the Journal of the US National Cancer Institute. The people who took part in the study were divided into 2 groups: in the first, the subjects donated blood 2 times a year, thereby reducing their iron levels; in the second, no changes to lifestyle were applied.
According to the results of the study, it was found that in the first group, the people studied had a lower risk of cancer and mortality (including the risk of cancer: liver, lung, colon, and throat cancer) due to a decrease in oxidative stress, caused increased iron levels in the blood.
Is donation beneficial for losing weight?
People burn approximately 650 calories per blood donation (450 ml), according to the University of California, San Diego. A donor who donates blood regularly may lose a lot of weight. This can only be beneficial for overweight people, but for donors with normal weight, you need to be very careful about this, since in order to donate blood you need to keep your weight the same and avoid excessive weight loss.
Types of blood donation by purpose of donation
When donating blood, one of the most common goals is pursued:
- Allogeneic- with this type of donation, blood is donated for storage in a blood bank, i.e. a person donates blood for an unknown donor who will ever need blood.
- Targeted donation- used when blood is needed urgently, for example for a relative, if an accident occurs or during an operation with large blood loss (this usually requires a match of blood groups, so such donation is possible only between relatives).
- Substitute—blood is donated to replace a dose taken from a blood bank, while the donor’s relative receives a dose from the blood bank of absolutely any required group.
- Autologous- in this type, blood is taken before the operation and returned back to the donor himself after its completion.
Types of blood donation according to the DONOR material received
There are several types of blood donation, different in the material received, for further transfusion to those in need, all of them can be done at a blood donation center, but you may have contraindications for some of them, so it is better to always consult a doctor. I will list their types and briefly talk about each of them:
- Whole blood collection- the main and most common type of donation, in which blood is simply taken from a vein, without the use of additional devices, the procedure usually takes no more than 10-15 minutes.
- Taking blood plasma - plasmaresis: a machine is used to draw blood, after which it separates the components of whole blood from the plasma, the plasma is stored, and the blood components are pumped back to the donor after passing through a special filter. The procedure takes about an hour.
- Obtaining blood platelets - afaresis: A special machine is used that first takes whole blood from the donor. Then the blood is divided into components using a special device, at this moment the platelets are separated from the blood, after which the plasma and other blood components are transfused back to the donor, this whole procedure is quite lengthy and can take from 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Obtaining red blood cells: special devices are used that take blood from the donor, then separate the red blood cells from the blood and immediately add the blood back; this procedure is much faster than taking blood for platelets - about half an hour.
The harms of blood donation
If a person is in normal health, usually, Harm and negative consequences of donating blood are usually not observed; it has been determined that negative consequences occur in no more than 2% of all people who donate blood. The most common of all negative consequences is fainting due to a sharp drop in blood pressure and the appearance of a bruise at the site of a vein puncture (for example, I never even had a bruise). The study shows that out of 194,000 people, who took the test blood serious long-term negative complications were observed in only one person.
How to prepare for donating blood?
The day before donating blood, you need to follow certain rules, eat only certain foods and not overdo physical activity and not deny yourself good sleep.
It is forbidden to eat:
- Sausages, any smoked products
- Chocolate
- Nuts
- Dates
- Milk, cottage cheese
- Any oil, both butter and vegetable
What can you eat before donating blood?
No need to donate blood on an empty stomach! You definitely need to eat. Can you eat before donating blood? any carbohydrates: oatmeal without oil, pasta, all this can be eaten with sugar (yes, even despite its harm, it is recommended before donating blood). You can drink sweet tea - usually at blood centers, staff always provide the opportunity to drink tea and eat sweet cookies before donating blood.
Restrictions after donating blood
After donating blood for donation, the center’s staff recommend sitting for 10-15 minutes without getting up, so that the blood pressure levels out and there is no dizziness. On the day of delivery, it is better not to engage in heavy physical work or sports. After the procedure, you need to drink plenty of water to restore fluid volume in the body, and also eat well. It is not recommended to engage in heavy physical labor or physical work after donating blood; it is also better to avoid visiting the bathhouse after donating blood.
How to quickly restore blood and its components after donation?
During the blood donation procedure, the collection volume is very small; no more than 450 ml of whole blood is taken per donation.
According to researchers, blood volume is restored within 48 hours, and all red blood cells and platelets contained in blood during 4–8 weeks (this is why it is allowed to donate whole blood no more often than after 8 weeks).
On my own behalf I can add that, personally, I am additionally encouraged to go donate blood for donation every 2–3 months, this is because with such a simple action I can save someone’s life. The American Red Cross Association has estimated that if you start donating blood at age 17 every 56 days, then by the time you reach the age of 76, 48 liters of blood will be donated - which can save up to 1 thousand human lives!
To summarize, I want to say: medical research clearly shows that blood donation is beneficial, the negative consequences and harm are negligible, and the benefits both for society and for the donor himself very noticeable, so any person simply needs to donate blood regularly - unless there are medical contraindications, about which you need to consult your physician.
Every year the promotion of donation increases. Donating blood is an important mission that helps save the lives of countless people. Blood supplies are needed by people with cancer during various operations, childbirth, etc.
Many people wonder whether it is harmful to donate blood and how such a procedure affects their health. Many studies and experiments have been conducted to understand this topic.
Is it harmful to donate blood?
If a person comes to donate blood as a donor, then usually about 450 ml is taken from him. Since the hematopoietic system is a self-regulating process, the amount of blood taken is restored within 2 weeks.
Positive aspects of regular blood donation:
- The renewal process is stimulated, and this has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the pancreas and digestive system.
- Donation is an excellent prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Blood pressure is corrected.
- It improves and the person is better able to resist various diseases.
- The liver and spleen are unloaded, and this is an excellent prevention of the development of diseases of these organs.
Another significant benefit is that people who donate blood regularly are more likely to survive serious injuries. As you can see, the process of donating blood is very beneficial for the body, the main thing is to follow the existing rules.
Many people, when talking about why donating blood is harmful, mention that during the process itself and after it the person is in a pre-fainting state, but this is quite normal. If you do not stand up abruptly immediately after taking blood, the unpleasant sensations will soon disappear.
Is it harmful to donate blood frequently?
Because the body needs time to restore blood levels, donating blood frequently is not recommended. Men can do this no more than 5 times a year, and women - 4 times.
