Be a Blood Donor. Be Someone’s Hero!

Indians are known for their generosity and compassion. However, India suffers from an annual deficit of two million blood units as only 1% of our population donates blood each year. This leaves us with a shortage of blood as cancer patients, accidents victims and patients undergoing surgery require a blood transfusion.

Certain myths around blood donation & lack of awareness about the health benefits of blood donation discourage most people from doing this kind of act. So, let us inform you about the amazing health benefits of donating blood through this blog.

Benefits of Blood Donation

Boosts heart & liver health

Consumption of iron-rich diet may increase iron levels in your body as it can absorb limited proportions only. As a result, you may suffer from heart & liver ailments as an excessive amount of iron gets stored in heart, liver and pancreas. Blood donation helps you maintain good iron levels and lowers risk of various heart & liver related issues.

Lowers risk of cancer

As per healthcare experts, blood donation also cuts the risk of cancer. An excessive amount of iron may cause accelerated free radical damage in the body and may increase the risk of cancer. However, you can maintain healthy levels of iron in the body by donating blood, which can lead you to lower cancer risk.

Helps Lose weight

Donating blood also helps donors to lose weight. According to experts, you can burn up to 650 calories by donating blood. But, very frequent blood donation can mar your health, so you must consult a doctor before donating blood to ward-off various health issues.

The joy of saving a life

You can help three or four people every time you donate blood. It can give you a great sense of joy and satisfaction. Medical experts also say that people who volunteer unselfishly have a reduced risk of mortality than their counterparts. So, donate blood often to save a life and feel incredible joy.

Are you eligible to donate blood?

However, before heading over to donating blood, you must know whether you are eligible to do so. Read on to know the same.

A person must not donate or no blood bank should draw blood from a person more than once in three months. Donor’s physical and mental health must be intact. Also, a blood donor should not be an inmate of jail, drug addict and must not have multiple sexual partners.

  1. The donor must be from the age group of 18 to 60 years.
  2. Blood donor must weigh 45 kgs or above.
  3. Donor’s pulse rate and body temperature must be normal.
  4. Person’s blood pressure level must be normal.
  5. Donor’s haemoglobin should not be less than 12.5 grams.
  6. A donor must be free from acute respiratory ailments.
  7. Blood donor must not be suffering from a skin disease.
  8. Donor’s arms and forearms must be free of scars or skin punctures indicative of professional blood donors or addiction.

Moreover, people who have had surgery, typhoid, malaria, abortion or hepatitis in the last 6 or 12 months at the time of donation must not donate blood. So, donate blood keeping the aforementioned eligibility criteria in mind and give a gift of life to someone.

Content Reviewed by – Asian Hospital Medical Editors
Share