Will blood donation cause anemia? How to donate blood scientifically?

Review expert: Wang Xuejiang, Professor of Pathophysiology, Capital Medical University, PhD Supervisor

As a public welfare behavior, blood donation is accepted and respected by more and more people. However, in this wave of blood donation, a question that has long troubled many people has quietly grown: will blood donation lead to anemia? This question has aroused widespread attention and discussion. So, will blood donation lead to anemia?

What is anemia?

Anemia refers to a decrease in the number of red blood cells or dysfunction in the blood, which leads to a decrease in the body's oxygen-carrying capacity, thus affecting the body's normal functions. The hemoglobin in the blood is usually used as the basis for the diagnosis of anemia. In China, the diagnostic criteria are mostly based on adult male Hb < 120g/L, adult female Hb < 110g/L, and pregnant women Hb < 100g/L.

Common types of anemia include iron deficiency anemia , vitamin deficiency anemia , hemorrhagic anemia , hereditary anemia , etc. There are many causes of anemia, such as lack of essential nutrients such as iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, or chronic diseases, blood loss or heredity, all of which may lead to anemia.

Can donating blood cause anemia?

The blood donation process in our country is very strict. Before donating blood, blood collection and supply institutions will conduct strict physical examinations (health consultation, physical examination, blood tests, etc.). Blood donors must meet the physical examination standards for free blood donation before they can participate in free blood donation.

Under normal circumstances, the total amount of blood in the human body remains basically unchanged. The total amount of blood in an average adult is about 7% to 8% of body weight , or 60 to 80 ml per kilogram of body weight. For example, a man weighing about 60 kilograms has a total blood volume of about 4,500 ml.

The total amount of blood in the human body is relatively constant due to the regulation of nerve and body fluid factors . Medical research has shown that if the amount of blood loss does not exceed 10% of the total blood volume, the human body can quickly restore the total amount of blood through self-regulation without obvious cardiovascular dysfunction or other adverse consequences.

Therefore, it is very safe for a healthy adult who meets the blood donation requirements to donate 200 to 400 ml of blood at a time. It will not affect the health of the blood donor and will not cause anemia .

For the health of blood donors, the interval between two blood donations should be no less than 6 months. If blood donation is too frequent, it may bring many adverse effects to the body, and symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, and palpitations may occur.

However, in real life, some people will feel dizzy and anxious after donating blood, which is largely caused by factors such as emotional tension, donating blood on an empty stomach, lack of rest, and motion sickness.

How to donate blood scientifically?

Blood Donation Group

Generally healthy people can donate blood, but women who are pregnant, have given birth or are breastfeeding for less than 1 year, those who have had recent surgery, colds, pneumonia, dysentery, acute gastroenteritis, etc., and those with malignant tumors, blood system and infectious diseases should not donate blood.

Blood donation frequency

Because it takes a certain amount of time for the human body to regenerate blood cells after blood donation, and considering the recovery time of blood cells, the interval between donating whole blood should be no less than 6 months.

Before donating blood

Eat mainly vegetarian food, and try not to eat foods high in protein such as milk, soy milk, eggs, shrimps and crabs to avoid high blood lipids or allergies; do not drink alcohol the day before donating blood, eat breakfast before donating blood, do not be on an empty stomach, and do not take medication within a week before donating blood.

After donating blood

Do not do strenuous exercise within 1-2 days, do not deliberately increase nutrition, eat more foods that are beneficial to blood production, and supplement sugar and protein. Drink more water, eat more lean meat, eggs, soy products, fresh fruits and vegetables, etc.

References:

"How Much Do You Know About Anemia" - Bo Wei (People's Hospital of Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang)

"Say no to anemia, you need to know 8 questions" - Fu Zhaoqiang Shanghai Zhaxin Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Laboratory Department

"Etiology Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia" - Wang Wei and Wang Xiaoqin's Diagnostic Theory and Practice

"Will blood donation harm human health?" - David Duan

"You should know this about voluntary blood donation" - Xie Jing, deputy chief nurse of the machine-collected blood collection department of Chongqing Blood Center