The benefits of donating blood are as much for the donor's physical and mental health as for the rest of society.
Surely you know some family member or friend who is a blood donor, or you are posing yourself and want to know what benefits you would have.
Donating blood, as well as receiving, depends as much on the values of each one as on the influence of the society in which we live.
From my experience as a daughter and granddaughter of donors, I consider that blood is the most valuable gift a person can offer, which is to give life.
When talking about the Consequences of donating blood , For example, talk about benefits or complications associated with donating. Based on that, many times we can make wrong decisions.
Let's know and learn a little bit more than what it means to actually donate. In this way we will be able to differentiate between the real effects on our health and that which has been invented and nourished in different societies, cultures and religions.
There are some statistics and data recently published by the WHO (World Health Organization) that is worth knowing. These numbers explain much of the world situation on this important issue.
According to WHO, fortunately every year 108 million units of blood are collected in the world. And according to the data about 50% are from countries with high incomes, which would correspond to 15% of the population of the planet.
It is clear that depending on the country of which we speak, we will have different realities and numbers. Current In more developed countries, more donations are made. T All depends on many factors, including the economic and health resources available to enable a totally safe transfusion.
As to The latest data taken from WHO, we have to:
- According to data from 162 countries, between 2004 and 2012 there was an increase of 8.6 million in units donated by voluntary unpaid donors.
- In 2012, 73 countries reported having collected a 90% supply of voluntary and unpaid blood donors. Of these, 60 collected 100% of blood from volunteers and unpaid. But there are still 72 countries where donations through voluntary and unpaid people do not reach 50%.
- In this 72 countries more than 50% of the blood supply continues to depend on donations from relatives or relatives and from paid donors (8 high income countries, 48 middle income countries and 16 low income countries).
- In 2012, paid donations continued to be collected in 25 countries, totaling about 1.5 million donations.
12 Benefits of being a donor
The benefits of being a blood donor can be divided into three groups: biological, psychological and social benefits.
Health Benefits
When doing a blood transfusion, the health of both the donor and the recipient is involved. You need to know that for this, you need to meet certain criteria just like the receiver, depending on your blood type. You can see it in the following table
1- Free health check
You can only donate blood if you are totally healthy and free of any kind of disease. . Before donating blood, you have to go through a few simple free tests. For example, you can know if you have too high or low blood pressure, detect anemia, hepatitis or others.
This will help diagnose any possible disease in its early stage, before it develops. Also, you can choose to be informed if they find any abnormalities.
2- Reduces the risk of heart disease
Regular blood donations help keep iron levels in the body under control, especially in men. This has been shown to reduce heart disease.
Although iron is an essential element for proper functioning of the body, excess iron accumulated can lead to excessive oxidative damage, which is the main culprit of premature aging, heart attacks, strokes, etc.
According to the data, if you donate blood every 6 months for about 6 years, you can reduce your chance of getting cardiovascular disease by up to 90%.
3- Burns calories
A blood donation helps you burn 650 kilocalories, which helps you lose weight. However, blood can only be donated once every two to three months. This will depend on your health and your iron and hemoglobin levels.
4- Promotes the elimination of harmful substances
While a person with cholesterol for example, will not completely eliminate triglycerides, but does have the opportunity to regenerate lower values more quickly. The blood concentration will be the same, but if the donation is followed by an adequate diet it will be easier to achieve improvements than if it had not donated blood.
5- Reduces the risk of cancer
According A study Published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, iron increases the damage of free radicals in the body and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and premature aging. People who donate have lower iron levels and therefore lower risk of getting cancer.
7-Higher quality and life span
According to a Health Psychology study, those volunteers who altruistically donated blood had a significantly lower risk of mortality. These could reach even 4 years of life, compared to those who did for other reasons, such as economic.
As for the side effects that may appear are quite rare, such as dizziness or a hematoma due to a bad puncture, but nothing serious. Even so, if the person meets certain parameters and ensures these conditions, there will be no negative effect on his health.
Psychological / Emotional Benefits
8-Increase your empathy
Various scientific studies show that the act of donating causes the Oxytocin The hormone of pleasure, so our reward mechanism is activated.
Paul Zak , Head of the Department of Neuroscience at the University of Claremont in California, through his studies, showed that the level of oxytocin increased by up to 80% in our body every time we made an act of generosity. Therefore solidarity is within the reach of anyone.
Just as the solidarity , We increase both our own empathy and those of others.
As you will know, the empathy is knowing how to put yourself in the other person's place, so if we have decided to be donors is that we are totally committed to that cause, that is saving lives.
In addition to showing our satisfaction and being able to share it with our closest friends, we can make their generosity increase, and why not, encourage them to be donors.
All this would not be possible, not only for the values that each person has, but also for what the political systems themselves do in this respect, that is, they are responsible for promoting collective behavior, where solidarity, tolerance and respect.
9- Improve your self-esteem
The human being is altruistic By nature, but not all develop it or carry it out in their day to day. For me to be altruistic is a way of life, where the essential is to share, help, be attentive, respect, etc., with anyone who at some point in his life needs it.
Being involved in improving one's health or even saving one's life is something that, according to psychologists and donors, generates a feeling of great joy and lasting satisfaction.
10- Strengthen links between people you know
They are frequent circumstances in which by an unexpected, people of the same family happen to be donors and recipients of blood. If the health problem is overcome, it is proven that the people involved reestablish a better bond or strengthen the one that already had.
11- Resolve internal conflicts
According to some studies, when a loved one or simply acquaintance needs blood precisely from the blood group we possess, it can put us in the middle of a conflict.
We feel we want to help him but we also feel a lot of fear about what a blood draw. Sanitary risks, the fear of feeling bad, that hurts us the procedure makes us question if we really have to do it.
Different therapeutic currents coincide in establishing a personal, almost ethical conflict between what I should do and what I want to do. They also agree that it is healthy for our minds to deal with and resolve such conflicts.
Social consequences
14-Promotes tolerance and respect
By being a blood donor you are indirectly promoting both tolerance and respect for your equals, without distinction between races, ethnicities or gender. The ultimate goal is to help and save lives regardless of differences.
This experience, when shared with your friends or family, makes it possible for them to be more tolerant and respectful to other people, as at any moment one of us or a family member may need Of the help of others.
One phrase that I like very much is:"Helping those who need it is not only part of the duty, but of the happiness"of José Martí.
12- Reinforce the value of life
When you are in an extreme situation of life, such as needing blood to continue living, life is revalued. The realization of how vulnerable we can be, brings us closer to the true dimension of who we are. At any time someone from your family, friends or even you, you may need it.
13-Save life
The most important and the most valuable is without a doubt SAVE LIVES. According to Red Cross data with only one donation, three people benefit from it. This is the biggest benefit we can get from being a blood donor.
And you are blood donor? Tell us about your experience and the benefits it brings