Blood donation: Good for others, good for you!

Good for Others:

Every 3 seconds someone needs blood. One out of 10 people in the hospital will need blood during their stay. One pint (also called a unit) of blood can save up to three people’s lives. 4.5 million Americans lives’ are saved each year are saved because of blood transfusions.

Blood donors help people of all ages. People that need transfusions of blood include accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. The average transfusion requires 3 to 4 units of blood so the need for blood is great.

Donated blood is separated into three components: Red blood cells – these carry oxygen to the tissues in the body; Platelets- these help clot the blood and stop bleeding; Plasma – the fluid component of the blood. Almost 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed each day. Red blood cells can be for up to 42 days after they are donated. Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are also needed each day in the U.S. Platelets may be used for up to 5 days and plasma may be frozen for use for up to one year. Nothing is wasted. In response to the need for blood and blood products, an estimated 6.8 million Americans donate blood each year. These donors give 13.6 million units of life-giving blood. If you are not already a blood donor, please consider joining these donors.

Good For Your Health:

First, when you give blood you will learn your blood type. Many patients are curious about their blood type but your insurance will not pay for your doctor to order a test to determine your blood type. So giving blood will educate you about your blood type.

Second, you may learn more about your health status. Fourteen tests are run on each unit of blood that is donated. Eleven of these tests are for infectious diseases. You will be informed if any of these tests is abnormal so you can follow up with your provider to address them.

Third, blood donors have a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes. One study in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that amongst persons who donated blood twice each year had a lower rate of heart attacks and strokes. Another study from Finland showed an 88 percent decrease in the rate of heart attacks among people who donated blood once each year compared with those who did not give blood.

Finally, blood donors have a lower risk of cancer. Regular blood donations are associated with lower risks of cancers including liver, lung, colon, and throat cancers. The lower rates of cancer are related to lower iron levels in the blood. Iron can act as an oxidizing agent in the blood causing tissue damage. Lower iron stores in the bodies of persons who gave blood twice each year resulted in a lower risk of cancer and mortality.

Please consider giving blood today – someone’s life is depending on it.

Dr. Samuel Abbate is a local physician practicing in Wasilla at the Alaska Diabetes and Endocrinology Center.