World Blood Donor Day ‘2016
Donate Blood and Be a Hero – Save a Life
The joy of aiding another person is an indescribable feeling.
Moreover, it benefits your personal health by decreasing iron overload, which can lead to serious complications such as heart disease and liver dysfunction. Individuals who undergo regular blood donation may experience a reduction in iron levels, thereby minimizing the risk of conditions like hemochromatosis, a disorder characterized by excessive iron absorption that can cause organ damage over time [1].
Interestingly, you can burn up to 650 calories with each donation, helping with weight management. This calorie expenditure can be beneficial for those looking to maintain a healthy weight while contributing to their community.
After donating blood, your body starts producing fresh blood, a remarkable and regenerative process that can improve overall health. This process involves the replenishment of iron stores, which may take longer than the recovery of hemoglobin levels, thus requiring attention to one’s dietary iron intake post-donation [2].
Additionally, there's evidence suggesting that blood donation might lower the risk of certain cancers, potentially due to the reduction of oxidative stress associated with iron overload, which has been linked to various malignancies [3].
Lastly, it can reduce the chances of conditions like hemochromatosis, which is exacerbated by iron overload; regular donation helps maintain healthier iron levels in the body [4].
So Donate Blood, Save a Life :)
References:
- Mehrdad Alikhani, Mahdi Aalikhani, Masoumeh Khalili. Reduction of iron toxicity in the heart of iron-overloaded mice with natural compounds.. PubMed. 2022.
- Patrick Paul Torreiter, Camilla Drexler-Helmberg, Wolfgang Schimetta, Petra Krakowitzky, Wolfgang Helmberg, Peter Schlenke. Pilot Study to Gain First Indications for the Impact of a 3-Month's Oral Intake of a Sucrosomial Iron Supplement on Hemoglobin in Iron-Deficient Blood Donors.. PubMed. 2023.
- Femmeke J Prinsze, Rosa de Groot, Tiffany C Timmer, Saurabh Zalpuri, Katja van den Hurk. Donation-induced iron depletion is significantly associated with low hemoglobin at subsequent donations.. PubMed. 2021.
- Susanne Macher, Camilla Drexler, Ines Lindenau, Nazanin Sareban, Peter Schlenke, Karin Amrein. High-dose intravenously administered iron versus orally administered iron in blood donors with iron deficiency: study protocol for a randomised, controlled trial.. PubMed. 2016.
- Serdar Sivgin, Suleyman Baldane, Kemal Deniz, Gokmen Zararsiz, Leylagul Kaynar, Mustafa Cetin, Ali Unal, Bulent Eser. Increased Hepatic Iron Content Predicts Poor Survival in Patients With Iron Overload Who Underwent Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.. PubMed. 2016.