6 Surprising Health Benefits of Donating Blood: HLK

 Does giving blood detox your body

Somebody from the United States requires blood every 2 seconds. According to the Red Cross, approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are required in the United States every day. Let’s put it simply, that's a lot of blood. Patients suffering from sickle cell disease or cancer require blood donations during their treatments, while a single-vehicle accident victim may need up to 100 pints of blood.

Because blood cannot be created or synthesized, many patients rely on blood donors for their very survival.

This could be something you were already aware of. You've definitely seen the advertisements and the transportable blood donations blood drives are frequently in the news. We frequently hear about the significance of blood donation in relation to the beneficiaries. A single blood donation could benefit up to three patients.

What are the advantages of blood donation for the donor? That aspect of the agreement is rarely mentioned. While the impact is less visible, there are some health benefits associated with blood donation. As it turns out, the donor can profit from this humanitarian decision as well.

Either you're thinking about donating blood but are concerned about how it will affect your body. Or perhaps you've done this before and are wondering about how it will affect you if you donate on a regular basis. In any case, you might be surprised by some of the benefits. We worked with medical professionals to determine some of the most significant advantages of blood donation.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GIVING BLOOD

1. Blood donation can disclose potential health issues.

However, it isn't the same as going to the doctor, donating blood is another approach to monitoring your cardiovascular health. Prior to the blood draw, you'll get a mini-physical when someone will check your pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, hemoglobin, and other vital signs. It can sometimes shed light on issues you were previously unaware of.

"When your blood is iron deficient, the clinic will notify you and refuse to draw your blood," explains Jan Patenaude, a dietitian, and certified LEAP therapist. They will also notify you if they observe any additional blood disorders or anything strange. A regular blood quality check could be the key to detecting a health problem until it becomes life-threatening.

2. Blood donation can help to lower unhealthy iron deposits.

According to Patenaude, one in every two hundred people in the United States has hemochromatosis, and the majority are unaware of it. The Mayo Clinic names hemochromatosis, a disorder that produces iron overload, as the most frequent hereditary disease among Caucasians.

Patenaude, a regular blood donor, suggests blood donation as a technique to lower the body's excess iron storage. According to the Centers for Disease and Prevention, removing red blood cells via phlebotomy (or donating blood) is the chosen treatment for people with high levels of iron in their blood.

3. Donating blood may reduce your chances of having a heart attack.

You might be shocked to learn that giving blood may have heart health benefits. According to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, donating blood at least once a year can cut your risk of a heart attack by 88 percent. This is related to the iron issue once again, according to Dr. David Dragoo, a Money Crashers healthcare specialist.

According to Dr. Dragoo, excessive amounts of iron in the blood restrict your blood vessels, increasing your chance of a heart attack. Donating blood removes excess iron deposits, giving your vessels more room to perform.

4. Donating blood may lower your risk of getting cancer.

The association between giving blood and a lower risk of cancer in a normal, healthy person is tenuous. However, studies show that blood donors with certain diseases, like hemochromatosis, had a lower risk of developing cancer.

According to research published in the International of the National Cancer Institute, phlebotomy (the act of taking blood) is an iron-reduction strategy related to lower cancer risk and death. The study focused on patients with atherosclerotic disease (PAD), which the Mayo Clinic characterizes as a prevalent circulation condition. Patients with PAD who consistently donated blood had a decreased chance of acquiring malignancy than those who did not.

5. Donating blood can help keep your liver healthy.

The functioning of your liver is another risk of iron overload. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, has reached pandemic proportions in recent years, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information.

Far too much iron has been associated with NAFLD, Hepatitis C, and other liver disorders and infections in studies. Though there are many other factors at work in these disorders, donating blood can help relieve some of those iron levels and prevent additional problems in your liver.

6. Donating blood can improve your mental health.

While there are various medical advantages of donating blood, the most potent health advantage is undoubtedly psychological. Donating blood means that someone (or numerous others) somewhere will receive much-needed assistance.

Going to donate blood, particularly on a regular basis, can be compared to volunteering. You volunteer your time (and literally your blood) to assist strangers in need. If you go to the same blood donation facility every time, you'll come to know some of the employees who are also committed to saving lives.

This type of regular, altruistic engagement offers significant mental health benefits. Getting out of your typical setting to accomplish something helpful for someone else is invigorating in the best way. Volunteering has been demonstrated to improve happiness. Volunteering also lowers the chances of loneliness and depression in persons over the age of 65.

Patenaude feels that the mental well-being benefit of knowing you're helping others is just as beneficial as the physiological health benefit. When you roll up your sleeve and sit in that chair, you know you're making a huge difference that makes you happy!

Donating blood benefits humanity.

Donating blood has numerous health benefits, but the most significant aspect of the practice is that it helps save lives. Donating blood is excellent for you, and it's even better for the people who really need it.

If you don't mind blood draws or even the sight of blood, you might just want to explore becoming a medical assistant. These experts save lives every day just by performing their jobs. If you want to understand more about medical assistants, read our article "Medical Assisting Skills: What Your Need to Be Comfortable in Your Career."