Guardian

IT has been shown that giving blood provides an essential lifeline to those in need, but a growing body of research demonstrates that it could have health benefits for the donor too.

Findings have shown that donating blood reduces the risk of heart attacks and even cancer. It even burns 650 calories for every pint given.

The news could come as welcome boost to British blood banks, which use an average of 7,000 units of blood every day.

It is thought that the benefits arise from lowering high iron levels. Iron affects how thick and sticky the texture of the blood is.  High iron levels cause the blood to be thicker. Raised iron levels also accelerate the oxidisation process of cholesterol.  This can affect blood consistency and create increased friction as it travels through blood vessels.

As this increases wear and tear to the lining of arteries it could then contribute to cardiovascular disease.

Because donating blood removes some of its iron content, it may therefore have a protective benefit if done on a consistent basis by helping thin the blood.

According to a study from the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers found that those aged 43 to 61 had fewer heart attacks and strokes when they donated blood every six months.

A study of 2,682 men from Finland found they had an 88 per cent reduced risk of heart attacks than those who don’t donate, reported Medical Daily.

Likewise, a study published in the Journal of the National cancer Institute also links iron to an increased cancer risk as it’s believed to increase free-radical damage in the body.

In line with this theory, a four-and-a-half-year study involving 1,200 people found those who made bi-annual blood donations had a lower incidence of cancer and mortality than those who didn’t because blood donations lowered their iron levels.

However, these benefits depend on making donations on a regular basis, rather than once in a while. Another side effect of donating blood is that it can burn a large number of calories too.

After donating blood, the body replaces all of the blood volume within 48 hours, and all the red blood cells within four to eight weeks.

The University of California in San Diego estimate that for every one pint of blood donated, 650 calories are burned, as the body must replenish itself.

Although this could be seen as an attractive effort-free way to lose weight, the NHS Blood and Transplant centre still encourage people to donate for altruistic purposes for the benefit others first, rather than for themselves.

Meanwhile, the World Blood Donor Day, celebrated on 14 June every year, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. With the slogan “Give the gift of life: donate blood”, this year’s campaign, the 10th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day, will focus on the value of donated blood to the patient, not only in saving life, but also in helping people live longer and more productive lives. A single unit of donated blood can save up to three lives.

Every year 92 million blood donations are collected worldwide. Approximately half of these are collected in high-income countries, home to only 15% of the world’s population.

Many patients requiring transfusion, particularly in developing countries, do not have timely access to safe blood.

Blood collection from voluntary non-remunerated blood donors is the cornerstone of a safe and sufficient blood supply. Regular voluntary blood donors are the safest source of blood, as there are fewer blood-borne infections among these donors than among people who donate for family members in emergencies or who give blood for payment.

In low- and middle-income countries, the greatest use of donated blood is for pregnancy-related complications and severe childhood anaemia. In high-income countries, transfusion is most commonly used for supportive care in heart surgery, transplant surgery, massive trauma and cancer therapy.

Providing safe and adequate blood through well-organized, national blood systems should be an integral part of every country’s national health-care policy. WHO’s goal is for all countries to obtain all their blood supplies from 100 per cent voluntary unpaid donors by 2020.

WHO provides policy guidance and technical assistance to support countries to ensure that safe blood and blood products are available and used appropriately for all people who need them.