Benefits of blood donation
Blood donation helps to stimulate the production of new blood cells. Excessive iron in the blood causes oxidation of cholesterol which gets deposited on the walls of arteries, increasing the chances of heart attack and strokes. Blood donation also helps to maintain the level of iron in blood, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases. […]
Blood donation helps to stimulate the production of new blood cells. Excessive iron in the blood causes oxidation of cholesterol which gets deposited on the walls of arteries, increasing the chances of heart attack and strokes.
Blood donation also helps to maintain the level of iron in blood, thus reducing the risk of heart diseases. Oxidative damage is the major culprit implicated in accelerated ageing, heart attacks, strokes etc.
Another benefit of blood donation is that it helps in weight loss (burns calories). One time blood donation helps you shed 650 Kcal. This can aid you in your body weight control measures. However, blood can be donated safely once in two or three months and not more frequently. This will depend on your health status and your blood haemoglobin and iron levels.
Also, blood donation reduces the risk of cancer. High levels of iron have been implicated in cancer. Theoretically, donating blood frequently will reduce the risk of cancers. More research is going on to find strong evidence on this one. However, the old myth that blood donations may lead to cancer has been put to the grave.
There is also the joy a donor gets for saving a life.
‘Safe’ blood is blood that is collected from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors and tested to be free of Transfusion Transmissible Infections (TTIs) which in Nigeria are stated in the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) guidelines to be 4 (HIV, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen, Hepatitis C virus and Syphilis).
Blood and blood products are essential to care for, women with pregnancy and childbirth associated bleeding; children with severe anaemia due to malaria and malnutrition; patients with blood and bone marrow disorders, inherited disorders of haemoglobin and immune deficiency conditions; people with traumatic injuries in emergencies, disasters and accidents; and patients undergoing advanced medical and surgical procedures.
Individuals in need of blood urgently for their family members should source ‘safe’ blood from the closest National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) centres.
It is important to donate blood voluntarily to NBTS because blood for transfusion is in short supply and NBTS provides ‘safe’ blood. In order to be always fit to donate safe blood, people should maintain healthy lifestyle and habits that ensure good health.
It is not advisable to donate blood during pregnancies, if on some medications, feeling ill, age below 18 and if above 65 years unless medically advised.
IHVN has been supporting the National Blood Transfusion Service by hosting joint blood drives in an effort to improve the national blood supply.
-Source IHVN