Requirements to donate blood
To donate, you must be at least 18 years old (between 18 and 65 years old), be healthy, weigh more than 50 kilos. Not having had cancer, malaria, HIV / AIDS or Ebola, for example, have normal blood pressure and if you have recently had a tattoo, you must wait 12 months due to the risk of hepatitis.
How is donated blood kept?
Each component of the blood requires different conditions to remain in perfect condition until the moment of use: red blood cells, for example, can be stored for up to 42 days at a temperature of 4ºC, platelets for up to 7 days, in agitation, at a temperature of 22ºC and frozen plasma can be stored for up to 2 years at -40ºC.
Donating is good for the heart
Blood flow and blood volume are essential to keep the heart beating. However, while it may seem contrary to what we all think, donating blood regularly can improve heart health and not compromise it. Thus, donating blood regularly can help reduce how thick and sticky the blood is, allowing blood to flow more easily through the blood vessels and reach the heart faster.
How long does the process of donating blood take?
Donation takes eight to 10 minutes. According to the Red Cross, the entire blood donation process from registration to recovery takes approximately one hour and 15 minutes. But what is the actual donation of 500 ml of blood only takes a few minutes.
Donating blood reduces the risk of cancer
Donating blood can reduce the donor’s risk of developing cancer. Iron, one of the main minerals found in the blood, is known to increase the amount of free radical damage in the body. However, a 2008 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that donating blood helps reduce iron stores, which in turn reduces the overall risk of cancer.
Who receives most of the donated blood?
Most of the blood is generally destined for cancer patients. Although we imagine accidents as the focus of blood donations, the reality is that only 2% of all blood donations go to people with injuries or trauma. It is cancer patients who receive the most blood.
