Blood donation is a voluntary procedure in which a person willingly donates a portion of their blood to aid others in need. Millions of people need blood transfusions each year during surgeries, emergency treatments, or due to diseases requiring blood components. This selfless act has the potential to save innumerable lives and significantly impact the healthcare system. While BCAs struggle to maintain sufficient supply, with the trend of increasingly lower participation in blood donation exacerbated by COVID-19. However, before opting to give blood, it is critical to understand both the benefits and drawbacks of doing so.
Types of Blood Donation
There are several types of blood donation, each serving a specific purpose:
- Whole Blood Donation: The most common type, where you donate about a pint (about half a liter) of whole blood. This type offers the most flexibility as it can be transfused as whole blood or separated into red cells, platelets, and plasma for different recipients.
- Apheresis: A process where you are hooked up to a machine that collects and separates different parts of your blood. This includes:
- Platelet Donation (Plateletpheresis): Collects only platelets.
- Double Red Cell Donation: Allows you to donate a concentrated amount of red blood cells.
- Plasma Donation (Plasmapheresis): Collects the liquid portion of the blood (plasma).
Benefits of Donating Blood
Donating blood has benefits for your emotional and physical health. According to a report by the Mental Health Foundation, helping others can:
- Reduce stress
- Improve your emotional well-being
- Benefit your physical health
- Help get rid of negative feelings
- Provide a sense of belonging and reduce isolation
Saving Lives
One of the most significant benefits of blood donation is the ability to save lives. Donated blood is utilized in a variety of medical operations, such as surgeries, emergency treatments, and transfusions for individuals suffering from blood disorders and severe injuries. According to DeSimone, One blood donation can save up to three lives.
Health Advantages for Donors
There are various health advantages to donating blood. By eliminating excess iron storage, the process aids in the regulation of iron levels in the body. Individuals with certain genetic diseases, such as hereditary hemochromatosis, which causes iron overload, may benefit from this reduction.
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- Free Health Checkup: In order to give blood, you’re required to undergo a health screening. A trained staff member performs this checkup. They’ll check your pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, and hemoglobin levels. This free mini-physical can offer excellent insight into your health and can effectively detect problems that could indicate an underlying medical condition or risk factors for certain diseases. Your blood is also tested for several diseases, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HIV, West Nile virus, syphilis, and Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Reduced Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases: According to research, regular blood donation may lessen the incidence of cardiovascular disorders such as heart attacks and strokes. If your hemoglobin is too high, blood donation helps to lower the viscosity of the blood, which has been associated with the formation of blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke.
- Balances your iron levels: Too much iron in the blood can cause your arteries to harden (atherosclerosis). This can restrict blood flow to the rest of the body. Donating blood helps reduce the amount of iron in your blood, reducing the risk of atherosclerosis.
- Lowers your risk of cancer: One of the benefits of donating blood and reducing iron stores is that it can reduce your risk of cancer. Iron is associated with cancer-causing free radicals, unstable atoms that can damage cells and cause illness.
Blood Cell Production Stimulation
After donating blood, the body begins rebuilding the missing blood cells. This process promotes the formation of new blood cells, including red and white blood cells.
Emotional and Psychological Benefits
Donating blood can create a sense of accomplishment and purpose. Helping others can increase self-esteem, promote mental health, and foster a sense of belonging and connectedness within the community.
Weight management
There are claims that giving blood burns 650 calories. However, there does not appear to be any scientific evidence to prove this. Any benefits of this calorie loss will be short-term and will not help a person lose weight.
However, a 2012 study suggests that because blood donation centers need to weigh people before they give blood, this could help identify people with obesity and offer them help to manage their weight and any related health problems.
Risks and Disadvantages of Donating Blood
Despite the numerous benefits, it's essential to be aware of the potential risks and disadvantages associated with donating blood.
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Temporary Reactions
Sometimes, a person can experience side effects after donating blood. Although severe adverse effects are rare, temporary reactions can occur, including:
- Temporary Weariness and Dizziness: Some donors may experience temporary weariness, weakness, or dizziness after donating blood.
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Feeling faint
- Lightheadedness
- Nausea
- Bleeding from the needle prick
- Bleeding under the skin or bruising
These symptoms usually disappear within 24 hours. Some ways of minimizing these effects after donation include drinking plenty of fluids and eating well-balanced meals over the next 24-48 hours. Foods that can boost a person’s iron intake include red meat, spinach, and iron-fortified juices and cereals.
Iron Deficiency
While regular blood donation can help people who are iron deficient, it can also contribute to iron insufficiency in frequent donors. Iron is required for the process of replacing blood cells, and excessive blood donation without enough iron replacement can deplete the body's iron stores over time.
Potential Infection Risks
Despite extensive safety measures, there is still a minor risk of infection linked with the blood donation process. There’s no risk of contracting disease. New, sterile equipment is used for each donor.
Adverse Effects
In rare cases, a person may experience a more severe adverse effect, such as:
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- Low blood pressure
- Muscle contractions
- Breathing difficulty
- Fainting
- Vomiting
- Convulsions
These effects are more likely to affect younger donors, those with a low weight, and individuals who are donating for the first time.
Effect on Sports Performance
Some studies claim that donating blood can reduce athletic performance, due to its effect on iron levels and the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However, a 2019 review concludes that there is not enough evidence to confirm this.
Time and Effort
Donating blood takes time and effort, including travelling to the donation centre, going through screening procedures, and setting aside time for recovery following donation.
What to Expect During Blood Donation
Before the Procedure
- Registration: You must register to donate blood. This includes providing identification, your medical history, and undergoing a quick physical examination. You’ll also be given some information about blood donation to read.
- Medical History and Physical Exam: Before you can donate blood, you will be asked to fill out a confidential medical history. Because of the risk of bloodborne infections, not everyone can donate blood. You will also have a brief physical exam. The exam includes checking your blood pressure, pulse and temperature. A small sample of blood is taken from a finger prick and is used to check the oxygen-carrying part of your blood (hemoglobin level).
- COVID-19 concerns: The virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hasn't been shown to be transmitted through blood transfusions.
During the Procedure
- Donation Process: You lie or sit in a reclining chair with your arm extended on an armrest. If you have a preference for which arm or vein is used, tell the person who is collecting your blood. A blood pressure cuff or tourniquet is placed around your upper arm to fill your veins with more blood. This makes the veins easier to see and easier to insert the needle into. It also helps fill the blood bag more quickly. A new, sterile needle is inserted into a vein in your arm. This needle is attached to a thin, plastic tube and a blood bag. Once the needle is in place, you tighten your fist several times to help the blood flow from the vein. First, blood is collected into tubes for testing. Then blood is allowed to fill the bag, about a pint (about half a liter). The needle is usually in place about 10 minutes.
After the Procedure
- Observation: After donating, you sit in an observation area, where you rest and eat a light snack. After 15 minutes, you can leave.
- Results: Your blood will be tested to determine your blood type and your Rh factor. Blood type is classified as A, B, AB or O. The Rh factor refers to the presence or absence of a specific antigen - a substance capable of stimulating an immune response - in the blood. You'll be classified as Rh positive or Rh negative, meaning you do or don't carry the antigen. Your blood will also be tested for bloodborne diseases, such as hepatitis and HIV. If these tests are negative, the blood is distributed for use.
Requirements for Donating Blood
- Age: You need to be 17 or older to donate whole blood. Some states allow you to donate at 16 with parental consent. At least 16 or 17 years old, depending on the law in your state. Some states allow legal minors to donate with parent permission.
- Weight and Health: You have to weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health to donate.
- Medical Information: You need to provide information about medical conditions and any medications you’re taking. These may affect your eligibility to donate blood.
- Donation Frequency: You must wait at least 8 weeks between whole blood donations and 16 weeks between double red cell donations. Platelet donations can be made every 7 days, up to 24 times per year.
How to Prepare for Donating Blood
- Drink an extra 16 ounces of water before your appointment.
- Eat a healthy meal that’s low in fat. Eat a healthy meal before your donation.
- Wear a short-sleeved shirt or a shirt with sleeves that are easy to roll up.
- Let the staff know if you have a preferred arm or vein and if you prefer to sit up or lie down.
Safety Measures
Donating blood is safe if the center follows the standard guidelines. The FDA and American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) monitor blood banks for this purpose. Safety precautions they take include:
- Screening donors for existing health conditions
- Using new needles for each donation
- Having professional staff on hand
- Providing monitoring and refreshments to ensure a safe recovery
Lay Perceptions of Blood Donation
Lay understandings of the impact of donating blood on health remain poorly understood. As lay perceptions are likely to influence critical decisions about donation, understanding these perceptions is key for informing evidence-based approaches to donor retention and recruitment. Findings reinforce that lay perspectives on how donation impacts health are under-researched, and it is difficult to know how important these are in informing critical decisions about donation for donors and non-donors.
Most studies (89.5%) had donation-related health perceptions as a background rather than a central (10.5%) focus, and they were only assessed in relation to whole blood donation. More results focused on health-related beliefs than experiences (82 vs 18%), specific rather than general beliefs and experiences (80 vs 20%) and more frequently examined negative than positive beliefs and experiences (83 vs 17%). The most commonly studied and reported specific negative beliefs related to increased risk of infectious disease, reduced vitality, vasovagal reactions and low iron.