Is donating blood healthy?

28. August, 2024(letzte Änderung)

Autor: Marc Sonderegger

About 1000 units of blood are needed every day in Switzerland. Thanks to them, many lives are saved every day. This should be reason enough to give blood regularly. But what does regular mean? And what are the advantages and disadvantages for the donor?

Free blood screening

One of the most obvious benefits is the free screening for diseases such as hepatitis, HIV and syphilis. If there is anything suspicious, you will be notified. This is not much of an incentive for donors, but it is a benefit nonetheless.

Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease due to reduced oxidative stress?

Several studies show a causal relationship between regular blood donation and a lower risk of cardiovascular problems such as high blood pressure or heart attack. As always, there are probably several factors at work. The most important, in my opinion, is the reduction of oxidative stress caused by the breakdown of stored iron in the organs. As everyone knows, we inhale oxygen. When iron reacts with oxygen, rust forms! Humans have efficient systems to largely prevent this toxic reaction, for example by storing iron in organs.

However, there comes a point where inflammation occurs. This manifests itself differently in different tissues: atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases, and cancer are just a few examples.

Better liver and lipid values and more superoxide dismutase activity

Several markers that are important in the context of iron storage and support the above theory are improved:

Improved liver values because less “detoxification” is required.
Copper levels increase. This is the most important element for reducing oxidative stress.
One of the most important enzymes of all, superoxide dismutase, becomes more active. Not surprisingly, it is “copper dependent” in eukaryotes.
Better lipid levels

In this article, I explain why copper deficiency can look like iron deficiency and why it is far more common than iron-related anemia.

Better mental health

Studies that have focused on blood donation and the mind show less depression and a positive effect on happiness. This seems to be caused by the good conscience or the good deed.

Reduction in hemoglobin and iron levels (short-term)

In many studies, frequent donors have lower ferritin levels and lower hemoglobin levels than non-donors. However, these people do not feel less fit or less well. However, this factor must be taken into account. Hemoglobin levels that are too low are suboptimal. However, this is checked before donation and if it is too low, you will not be accepted.

I explain why serum ferritin is not a representative marker of iron status in this blog post on anemia and iron deficiency.

How often should I give blood?

In Germany, men are allowed to donate blood 4 times a year and women 3 times a year.

I recommend 2 times a year. As everywhere, there is a trade-off. One study looked at the birth weight of babies born to non-donors and women who donated occasionally and frequently in the 3 years before the birth (unfortunately, details are subject to a fee). The women who gave blood occasionally had the highest birth weight.

Assuming that half of all citizens in Switzerland are eligible to donate blood, this would result in just over 8 million blood units, assuming 2 donations per year. We currently need about 365,000 per year. This would solve a lot of problems and we would probably have the maximum health benefit. You can find out if you can give blood in this quick check!

Remember: Donating blood is the only way for men to lose iron. This is also true for menopausal women.

CONCLUSION

Personalworkout recommends that clients donate blood twice a year if they are able to. They can also choose from all the free snacks on offer 🙂

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SOURCES

http://www.blutspende-sg.ch/spenden/vollblutspende/
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/blog/surprising-health-benefits-of-donating-blood/
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.atv.0000174126.28201.61
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27089416/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31408501/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25824704/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28083954/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31735654/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30520046/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29544084/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6612229/
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Blood Chemistry Interpretation Course Dr. Bryan Walsh

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