Will Blood Donation Actually Improve My Health?

Of course, you reduce the risk of getting a heart attack by 88% when you donate blood.

How Does Blood Donation Strengthen Your Immune System?

Think of your immune system as an army barrack with several ranked officers. Imagine that some of the officers in that barrack are your White blood cells who function as private soldiers, they keep flowing through your body's blood and tissue, searching for outside intruders such as parasites, fungi, bacterias and viruses, launching an attack and shooting bullets known as “antibodies” thereby providing bodyguards whenever such intruders are found.

When you give blood, you stimulate the immune system which can be likened to a civilian invading the barracks by mistake. Blood donation increases your immune strength and effectiveness because of course, the barracks will not sit back and watch a bloody civilian disrupt their activities without getting them arrested and interrogated.

What better way to protect your body from illness and diseases if not through a strengthened immunity, and what better way to strengthen your immunity if not through blood donation!

What are the Other Benefits of Blood Donation

You might be concerned that you will be losing a pint of blood but you do not have to worry as our bodies are built in such a way that it replenishes well enough after the procedure, even the needle prick no longer hurts badly because these days you hardly feel the pain because of the expertise of the phlebotomist inserting the needle.

Are you still in doubt? Discover some of the amazing benefits the donor enjoys with regular donation of blood.

1. You have a healthy heart and circulatory system

• Giving blood at least once annually can help lower your blood viscosity, in other words your artery blockages and increase blood flow, it is also associated with a lowered risk of elevated blood pressure and heart attacks.
• Iron, which is an essential part of the blood, is lowered after donation. When Iron is elevated, it causes oxidative stress which is linked to an increased risk of cardiac issues.
• Iron accumulation or overload is prevalent among Nigerian women as concluded by a study. Iron overload must be avoided in those with hereditary excess iron production known as hemochromatosis by routinely donating blood.

Thankfully, as people with this medical condition do not need the excess blood, it need not be wasted as it can help other people.

2. It keeps your liver in good shape

The liver's function is to eliminate body toxins, but an accumulation of iron prevents the liver from doing this efficiently. Scarification of the liver known as Cirrhosis and other illnesses can arise from damage to body cells caused by an excess of iron. Regular blood donation therefore keeps the liver healthy by helping the body rid itself of extra iron before it has a chance to accumulate in the liver.

3. Stimulates your body to produce Red Blood Cells

Following a blood donation, the body puts forth a lot of effort to replace the blood that was given, which encourages the creation of new blood cells and supports overall health. Red Blood Cells are vital because they transport oxygen from our lungs to every part of your body. Additionally, red blood cells return waste products like carbon dioxide to your lungs so they can be expelled when we exhale.

4. You get to know your blood group

Most people only get to know their blood types when they first give blood, register with their school clinic or when they get sick. 'Know your blood type’ events are held at donor centers for free and you can walk into one of such events if you are curious about yours.

5. Thinking of hitting the gym? You might not need to.

Each time you donate blood, you burn roughly 600-650 calories. As much as blood donation is not a weight loss strategy, it significantly burns calories and increases metabolism in such a way that you may not need to go to the gym if done regularly.

6. Who does not want a free medical screening!

Before you are bled for donation at donor centers, a couple of health screenings are carried out to ensure you are fit to donate and that the blood drawn from you is healthy enough for the recipient. Among such screening is vital signs which will give information about your blood pressure or an irregularly beating heart, blood tests to ensure you are free of infections such as hepatitis or to identify blood groups amongst others. Giving blood on a regular basis might help you monitor your health and easily identify conditions like anemia.

7. You save the day and become happier for it

Are you serious? Yes, some recipients can not afford a paid donor or even a family/replacement donors probably because the available family members do not meet certain criteria for which they can be allowed to donate blood. The satisfaction that comes with knowing that someone somewhere has just been called back from death's doorstep by receiving the blood you donated is psychologically beneficial, you are happy when others are happy because of you.

8. Detoxify your blood naturally

Having mentioned how the liver removes toxins from your body by the removal of excess iron, regular blood donation naturally detoxifies your blood too by reducing the presence of “forever” chemicals (per- and polyfluoroalkyl), which is found everywhere including the blood since we use some non-stick cooking utensils, waterproof materials and other water or heat resistant items. Regular blood donation may help minimize them in your blood and prevent alteration of liver functions.

9. Less chance of getting cancer

As earlier established, excess iron does not only increase the risk of a heart problem but can also accumulate within the liver and this can increase the risk of developing cancers such as liver, colon, lung and stomach cancers. You should see your physician who will order a serum iron test for you if you want to find out your blood iron level.

Blood donation is widely acknowledged as a heroic deed that preserves lives but not many people are aware that beyond the recipients, the donors also gain a great deal from this and save their health in the process.