4 Health Benefits for Blood Donors
Heathy individuals can donate blood about every two months. On top of the positive impact donors have on their communities, did you know that donors may experience health benefits of their own? In this week’s post we’ll be taking a look at the health benefits of donating blood and what it could mean for you.
Health Screening
Typically, in order to give blood you need to undergo a quick health screening. This is usually done at the site and time your of donation. These health screenings can often catch conditions that may not be identified through a normal visit to the doctor’s office. A trained staff member will check your pulse, blood pressure, temperature, and sometimes hemoglobin levels which are all important markers for your health and can identify any potential underlying conditions you may have. After you donate, your blood is also tested for several blood-based conditions such as Hepatitis B and C, HIV, and West Nile Virus, just to name a few. It’s important to consider that if you are aware of a blood-based condition in your family’s history or suspect yourself of having such a case, schedule an appointment with your doctor before considering donating blood.
A routine wellness visit or physical with your primary care provider may or may not involve blood labs. Whenever you donate blood, your samples are analyzed for certain markers that may indicate any potential deficiencies or underlying diseases.
Lowering Your Risk of Heart Attack
A study conducted by the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that donating blood once a year can reduce your risk of heart attack as much as 88%. This study also relates to individuals with high concentrations of iron in their blood, a condition known as Hemochromatosis. High levels of iron in your blood can cause your blood vessels to constrict which increases the chances of having a heart attack. By donating blood, you can control your iron levels and improve your heart health. That being said, if you develop low levels of blood iron then it is not recommended for you to donate blood.
Lowering Your Risk of Liver Disease
Similar to the heart involvement description above, excessive amounts of iron can damage your liver. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has increased over the recent years. Research has shown a connection between NAFLD, hepatitis C, and other liver diseases/infections with excessive iron stores. Again, increased iron stores can be mitigated through routine blood donations.
Iron is stored in our blood. Increased iron stores can be caused by a number of different reasons, but regular blood donations can immediately decrease unhealthy stores.
Positive Mental Effects
Probably the largest and most noticeable effect of donating blood is the positive impact on one’s mental state. Donating blood means you’re able to help one (or more) people and if you’re a frequent donor, then it becomes akin to volunteer work. It serves as another way to go out and serve your community and has also been shown to decrease the risk of depression and loneliness