How does donating blood save lives

The blood you give is a lifeline in an emergency and for people who need long-term treatments. We need new blood donors from all backgrounds to ensure there is the right blood available for patients who need it. Information about the most common and rarest blood types and why your blood type is important. Inspirational stories from donors and patients whose lives have been transformed by blood transfusions.

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Back to Blood Donor Services. Meet the Team. Can I Donate Blood? Facts About Blood Donation. Host a Community Blood Drive. Send Us a Message. Facts About Blood Donations. Types of Donation. Blood Types. Why Your Donation Matters. Whole Blood. Whole blood is the most common type of donation. Blood from one donation can be divided into two components: red blood cells and plasma. The average adult has about 10 pints of blood, but a typical whole-blood donation is only 1 pint.

Red blood cells have a short shelf life. They only last for 6 weeks 42 days. Donating whole blood takes only about minutes. You can donate whole blood every 56 days—and we encourage you to donate as often as possible.

Platelets are small, disc-shaped cells that aid in blood clotting. They are donated most often to cancer patients, organ recipients and those undergoing heart surgeries. Patients who need platelets often require multiple transfusions. That's why it's so important to donate as often as you can.

Platelets do not last long. They have a shelf life of just 5 days. Donors are connected to a machine that separates platelets and some plasma from the blood and returns the red cells and most of the plasma back to the donor. Donating platelets takes approximately 90 minutes. You can donate platelets every 7 days, up to 24 times a year. It contains proteins that help control bleeding and fight infections.

It's used to treat various types of bleeding disorders. It's also given to patients who have suffered major traumatic injuries. Plasma can be frozen for up to a year. If you have type AB blood, you are a universal plasma donor. Donating one unit of blood may save the lives of up to three people , according to the American Red Cross. Blood donors provide a vital service to the community. There are claims that giving blood burns calories.

However, there does not appear to be any scientific evidence to prove this. Any benefits of this calorie loss will be short-term and will not help a person lose weight. However, a study suggests that because blood donation centers need to weigh people before they give blood, this could help identify people with obesity and offer them help to manage their weight and any related health problems. The body needs iron to produce red blood cells. However, around 1 million people in the U.

People with this and other types of hemochromatosis have too much iron in their blood. The excess iron can deposit into different organs of the body, such as the liver and heart, and affect the way those organs function. According to a article by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , people with hemochromatosis can benefit from phlebotomy, which is a similar process to donating blood.

People with this condition are allowed to donate blood. In other words, for those with hemochromatosis, donating blood can be a treatment option as well as a way of helping others. Not all agencies allow donations from people with this condition, but many use their blood in the general donation pool. In , researchers looked at the data of nearly , females who had donated blood for 10 years or more. Some research has suggested that donating blood may also reduce blood pressure.

In , scientists monitored the blood pressure of donors who gave blood one to four times over the course of a year. Around half had high blood pressure. Overall, those with high blood pressure saw an improvement in their readings. The more often a person gave blood, the more significant the improvement. Other experts have pointed out that because blood pressure testing is an integral part of blood donation, it is a good chance for people to become aware of their reading and, if necessary, learn how to reduce it.

In , researchers looked at the data of over 1 million blood donors. A study took a fresh look at the same data. The U. However, there are some potential disadvantages of donating blood. The following sections will discuss these in more detail.

Some ways of minimizing these effects after donation include drinking plenty of fluids and eating well-balanced meals over the next 24—48 hours. In rare cases, a person may experience a more severe adverse effect, such as:.